Most people on the internet reuse the same password for multiple accounts.
Find out some alarming password reuse statistics before reusing them.
An average person manages dozens of online accounts, while professionals may handle even more.
Such online accounts often hold sensitive information that must be protected through passwords.
In fact, passwords are like the guardians of sensitive information.
They came into the spotlight and became a part of our life.
However, people still don’t take passwords seriously, and often, most reuse weak passwords that can be easily hacked within minutes.
Stronger passwords are also vulnerable to cyberattacks.
Still, millions of users tend to use the same passwords for different accounts.
So how bad is it?
Read the full guide to learn some of the latest password reuse statistics and see how it can put consumer and business data at risk.
Key Statistics
- Around 65% of individuals reuse passwords across multiple accounts.
- Almost 13% of people use a single password for every account.
- Over half of the employees worldwide reuse the same password across different work accounts.
- Around 81% of company data breaches are caused by poor passwords.
- Over 4 million individuals worldwide keep “Password” as their password.
- The average employee reuses a single password as many as 13 times.
- 49% of employees change or add a character to their password when updating their company password.
- A data breach can cost as high as $100 million.
General Password Reuse Statistics in 2025
1. Around 65% of Individuals Reuse Passwords Across Multiple Accounts.
According to a recent survey, around 65% of people reuse the same password for multiple accounts.
In fact, the primary reason for such behavior is constant, with more than 40% stating the difficulty of remembering different passwords and 27% expressing their lack of concern about hacking.
Moreover, 65% of individuals still create their own passwords instead of using password managers.
That’s quite strange, owing to the emergence of such tools as a significant advancement in cybersecurity.
However, some people do use online password generators for creating passwords.
Besides that, 30% of individuals agreed that they occasionally use the same password for personal and work-related accounts.
However, 20% confessed to doing so frequently. In fact, only 34% of users have different passwords for different accounts.
(Source: Techradar)
2. Almost 13% of People Use a Single Password for Every Account.
A recent report revealed that around one-fifth (13%) of internet users have the same password for all accounts.
Although the percentage is relatively low, its implications are quite significant.
In fact, these users are exposing themselves to considerable risk by using a single password for all their accounts.
Moreover, it’s obvious that a person who uses a single password for all their accounts is more vulnerable to cyberattacks than those who use different passwords.
That’s because when you have the same password for different accounts if a hacker cracks just one password, he’ll have access to all your accounts.
(Source: Google, Harris Poll)
3. Around 70% of The Already Breached Passwords Are Still in Use.
A report by security firm SpyCloud suggests that an average consumer has numerous online accounts, each with a unique login.
However, 64% of users with compromised passwords tend to reuse similar passwords across multiple accounts.
As a result, we see an increase in the number of account takeovers and password-spraying attacks.
The study indicates that 82% of the reused passwords matched previously compromised or hacked passwords.
Shockingly, 70% of users who were victims of cyber breaches in previous years still continue to use exposed passwords.
It highlights that password hygiene needs to be more robust.
(Source: Spy Cloud)
4. Over Half of The Employees Worldwide Reuse the Same Password Across Different Work Accounts.
A recent study has uncovered some troubling insights into employee password practices and risky behavior.
It revealed that 54% of all employees admit to reusing passwords across multiple work accounts, raising significant security concerns.
Furthermore, 22% of them, including 41% of business owners and 32% of C-level executives, still resort to writing down their passwords.
The study also reveals that 42% of respondents engage in personal activities on work-issued devices while working remotely.
Moreover, 29% use work devices for banking and shopping, while 7% admit accessing illegal streaming services.
In addition, senior workers, including 44% of business owners and 39% of C-level executives, are among the highest offenders in using work devices for personal tasks, including illegal streaming.
(Source: Help Net Security)
5. Around 81% of Company Data Breaches Are Caused by Poor Passwords.
According to the Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report, 70% of workers usually reuse passwords at work, making them vulnerable to cyberattacks.
The report also highlights that 81% of cyber hacking-related breaches occur due to stolen or weak passwords.
However, despite being aware of the risks, around 65% of users admit to reusing passwords across multiple accounts, both at home and work.
In fact, millennials aged 18 to 31 are the biggest offenders, with 87% practicing this risky behavior.
These password reuse stats highlight the persistent nature of password reuse, regardless of age or category.
(Source: Verizon)
6. 24% of Americans Have Used the Passwords “123456,” “password,” “123456789,” “qwerty,” or “12345.
You might be surprised to know that in this day and age, around 24% of Americans have resorted to using weak passwords such as”123456,” “password,” “123456789,” “qwerty,” or “12345.”
With the ever-increasing number of cyber threats and sophisticated hacking techniques, it’s crucial to prioritize strong password security.
Moreover, these easily guessable passwords leave users vulnerable to identity theft and unauthorized access and undermine the efforts of cybersecurity professionals who tirelessly work to protect our digital lives.
So, it’s high time we all recognize the importance of creating unique, complex, and long passwords that include a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols.
(Source: Google, Harris Poll)
7. Over 4 Million Individuals Worldwide Keep “Password” as Their Password.
Despite long-standing recommendations from experts to use strong and long passwords as a defense against unauthorized data access, recent research conducted by NorPass reveals that many individuals still rely on weak passwords.
The study highlights the top 10 most commonly used passwords worldwide in 2022, which include “password,” “123456789,” “123456,” “qwerty,” “guest,” “111111,” “12345678,” “12345,” “123123,” and “col123456.”
Shockingly, the password “password” can be cracked by hackers in less than a second, yet it remains the choice of over 4 million individuals globally.
Similarly, the second most common password, “123456,” which is also crackable in less than a second, is utilized by over 1 million people worldwide.
These findings underscore the urgent need for stronger password practices to enhance security.
(Source: Dhaka Tribune)
8. The Average Employee Reuses a Single Password as Many as 13 Times.
As per LastPass, an average employee tends to reuse a password 13 times.
As a result, it poses a significant risk as if a set of stolen or compromised credentials falls into the wrong hands, they can be exploited to gain unauthorized access to multiple accounts.
The analysis also digs into various factors such as company size, industry, and country.
Among these factors, it was observed that employees of small businesses display the highest level of password reuse, with those in companies comprising 1 to 25 staff members reusing passwords an average of 14 times.
In fact, the media and advertising sector emerges as the primary offender, with an average of 22 reuses per password.
When it comes to countries, Canadians have the highest tendency for password reuse, averaging 15 reuses per password.
Several other countries, including Australia and Belgium, closely follow suit, with an average of 14 password reuses among users.
(Source: LastPass)
9. 49% of Employees Change or Add a Character to Their Password when Updating Their Company Password.
Passwords play a central role in accessing our online lives, but they often become a source of frustration rather than a reliable security measure.
Moreover, HYPR conducted a comprehensive study over two and a half years, analyzing data from 500 full-time workers in the US and Canada.
The study revealed that a significant 72% of individuals reuse passwords for their personal accounts, while 49% of employees resort to merely modifying their existing password by adding a digit or character when updating their company password every 90 days.
These statistics highlight the prevalent issues of weak password management practices among individuals and employees.
(Source: HYPR)
Password Management Statistics
10. Only 34% of Individuals Use a Password Manager.
BitWarden’s data reveals that around 34% of individuals globally utilize a password manager.
However, 25% of them are mandated to do so for work purposes, and the adoption of password managers varies across different locations.
In fact, around 44% of Americans rely on these services, while the figure drops to 22% among the Japanese population.
When asked about their reasons for not using password managers, the most common response, according to various surveys, was a lack of trust.
Approximately 34% of respondents expressed concerns about the potential hacking of their password manager, while 30.5% cited a lack of trust in the password manager agencies to safeguard their information.
Moreover, people over 55 years of age worried about password manager hacking were more prominent, with around 37.4% choosing not to use a password manager for this reason.
Additionally, 20.1% claimed they didn’t use a password manager because they were unfamiliar with the concept, compared to 12% of individuals aged 35 to 54 and 14.1% of those aged 18 to 34.
(Source: BitWarden)
11. 51% of Users Forget and Reset Their Password at Least Once a Month.
A survey revealed that over 50% of consumers find it necessary to reset their password at least once a month due to memory struggles, and only 6% use passwords as a secure authentication method.
In fact, around 51% of respondents reset their passwords monthly, with 15% doing so weekly.nIn Asia-Pacific, 41% reset passwords monthly, and almost 10% did so weekly.
When given a choice between biometrics and passwords, almost 75% globally preferred biometrics at least half the time, and a third chose biometrics whenever possible.
While 16% stated they would never choose biometrics due to concerns about their devices’ support or security issues.
(Source: ZDNet)
The Consequences of Reusing Passwords
12. Around Half of The Individuals Have Had Their Accounts Hacked at Least Once.
In a survey conducted by Statista in October 2018, the share of internet users in the United States who reported experiencing online account hacking was analyzed.
The findings revealed that 14% of respondents had their online accounts hacked on multiple occasions.
Additionally, 22% stated that their accounts were hacked only once.
On the other hand, the majority, constituting around 51% of respondents, claimed that their online accounts had never been hacked.
Approximately 12% of participants either didn’t know or could not recall if their accounts had been compromised.
(Source: Statista)
13. The Average Cost of A Data Breach in 2022 Is $4.35 Million.
IBM’s 2022 report reveals that the global average data breach cost has reached a record high of about $4.35 million.
It represents a 2.6% increase from 2021 and a significant 12.7% increase from 2020.
Moreover, 83% of organizations surveyed experienced multiple data breaches, with only 17% considering it their first breach.
Sectors such as finance, transportation, energy, and healthcare, had an average breach cost of $4.82 million.
However, organizations with fully deployed security AI witnessed remarkable cost savings of $3.05 million compared to those without.
In fact, AI and automation shortened the breach life cycle by 74 days, with their adoption increasing from 59% in 2020 to 70% in 2022.
(Source: IBM)
14. The Cost of A Data Breach Can Be as High as $100 Million.
Data breaches come with a heavy price tag, and it’s quite surprising to think that their cost can skyrocket to $100 million.
Yes, you read it right!
The eye-watering figure also serves as a stark reminder of the potential financial devastation that organizations may face if their security measures are compromised.
In fact, the fallout from such breaches can encompass not only immediate financial losses but also long-term reputational damage, legal consequences, and the erosion of customer trust.
So, businesses need to invest in robust cybersecurity strategies, proactive threat detection, and swift incident response protocols to safeguard sensitive data and mitigate the astronomical costs associated with breaches.
(Source: Reuters)
15. A Company, on Average, Takes Around 197 Days to Identify and 69 Days to Contain a Data Breach.
The impact of a data breach extends far beyond only the quantity of compromised data, heavily influenced by the time it takes to detect and address the breach.
As per the report by IBM, companies typically require about 197 days to identify a breach and an additional 69 days to contain it.
It results in significant financial losses for businesses, with those managing to contain a breach within 30 days saving over $1 million compared to their counterparts.
In fact, delayed breach disclosures may lead to substantial fines and the potential for lawsuits from affected customers and regulatory bodies.
(Source: IBM)
16. The Cost of Identity Theft Can Be as High as $20,000.
Identity theft impacts individuals across various income levels, with most victims losing less than $500, as per the ITRC.
However, the FTC states that the average amount lost to identity theft is $800, and a concerning 21% of victims reported losses of more than $20,000 in 2020.
While younger individuals are frequently targeted, those over 60 suffer greater financial losses, with an average loss of $1,100 compared to $300 for individuals under 60.
Moreover, married women are primary victims, impacting their families’ financial stability, as reported by 73% of victims facing challenges in meeting essential expenses.
(Source: Define Financial)
FAQs
Why Change Passwords Every 90 Days?
Suppose a cybercriminal discovers a leaked password list.
If the leak is three months old, and you rotate your password every 90 days, the data becomes outdated, preventing the attacker from utilizing those credentials to access your account.
That’s why experts suggest everyone change their passwords every 90 days.
What Is the Impact of Password Reuse?
Password reuse increases an account’s vulnerability, enabling malicious individuals to hack into it and potentially gain access to other accounts belonging to the same user.
The risk of a credential breach amplifies as the frequency of password reuse intensifies.
Is it OK to Reuse a Strong Password?
While it’s understandable to resort to password reuse due to the difficulty of remembering multiple passwords, this practice carries severe repercussions for your data, regardless of its strength or complexity.
The more a password is reused, the higher the chances of data and monetary theft.
Conclusion
For worse or for better, passwords play an important role in our lives.
In fact, we need to create stronger passwords to keep our data safe and secure.
However, as seen in the password reuse statistics above, most individuals still use the same passwords for multiple accounts.
As a result, it makes them vulnerable to cyberattacks.
You should avoid making these mistakes.
