What passwords were most commonly stolen from Slovaks last year? (source: Pixabay)
In 2023, there was a significant global increase in the number of leaked login credentials for email accounts, combined with the theft and resale of passwords, usernames, telephone numbers and other data.
In the case of stolen email addresses along with passwords, Slovakia ranked 17th worldwide. This is based on an analysis by the CRIF (Slovak Credit Bureau), which operates credit registries and systems in Slovakia, state broadcaster STVR reported.
Beatrice Rubini, executive director of the CRIF's cybersecurity domain section, explained that cybercriminals use malware and various fake applications to steal personal data. These can be difficult to distinguish from genuine ones. When targeting consumers, they also exploit artificial intelligence tools. Fraudulent emails, often phrased in a trustworthy manner, are very common.
“Many internet users are careless. They repeatedly use the same password for different accounts and services, and store their login information directly in their browsers. This increases their vulnerability,” she warned.
In terms of email address thefts along with passwords, neighbouring Czechia performed even worse than Slovakia, ranking 11th due to the theft of “.cz” domains.
The unwanted top spot goes to the USA and global email accounts with “.com” and “.net” endings. Russia follows in second place with “.ru”, then Germany with “.de”, and Italy with the “.it” domain.
The most commonly stolen Slovak passwords in 2023 included simple number combinations like “123456”, “123456789”, and first names such as “martin”, “monika”, and “dominika”. Other terms included “onedirection”, “wattpad”, “mamina” (mother), and “password”.
In 2023, approximately 7.5 billion exploitable pieces of information circulated in online spaces and communication platforms, nearly 45 per cent more than in 2022.
In 2023, attackers most frequently targeted passwords, email addresses, usernames, names and surnames, and telephone numbers. Compared to 2022, passwords overtook email addresses to secure the most-stolen position.
