Generations change, but bad password habits remain unchanged. The recent analysis conducted by NordPassa service specialized in the management of digital credentials, confirms how Italian users are still far from adopting adequate IT security practices.
The study, which examined the period between September 2024 and September 2025photographs a worrying situation: the most used passwords in our country are the same elementary combinations that have occupied the top positions in the world rankings for years. Simple number sequences, common words and easily understood cultural references make up the majority of choices made by Italian users.
The most vulnerable passwords
On the podium of the most used combinations in Italy we find “admin“, “password” And “123456“, three codes that literally take seconds to crack by anyone with malicious intent. Anyone still using any of these sequences would do well to take a few minutes toimmediate replacement.
The really interesting part emerges by scrolling through the ranking beyond the top positions, given that the most common passwords include swear words, names of football teams and personal names which probably coincide with those of the account holders.
Particularly significant is the presence of “Naples1926” toeighth placewith the Neapolitan team and its year of foundation testifying to how much football is rooted in Italian culture. In seventeenth place appears “juventus”confirming this trend. There is no shortage of creativity with “123star” in ninth position, while the tenth is occupied by “perlanera“, a reference that seems to recall a nostalgic passion for the Pirates of the Caribbean film saga.
The cultural imprint in digital choices
NordPass experts have observed an interesting phenomenon: after years of analyzing compromised credentials, they emerge clear recurring patterns linked to the geography and culture of each country. In Italy as elsewhere, the most common names and surnames frequently appear in passwords, often combined with numerical sequences such as dates of birth or significant years. Custom combinations that, although they rarely reach the top of the global rankings, still represent a extremely vulnerable security practice. This is because the use of personal information that is easily available on social networks, or through a simple search, pays off these codes are just as fragile as elementary numerical sequences.
The rankings
Let’s get to the point: here are the most used passwords, both in Italy and worldwide:
The 10 most used passwords in Italy:
- admin
- password
- 123456
- Password
- 12345678
- 123456789
- 12345
- Naples1926
- 123star
- perlanera
The 10 most used passwords in the world:
- 123456
- admin
- 12345678
- 123456789
- 12345
- password
- Aa123456
- 1234567890
- Pass@123
- admin123
The comparison between the two rankings reveals how Italy is no exception compared to the rest of the world: the same weaknesses characterize user choices at every latitude. The substantial homogeneity between the most common passwords globally and the Italian ones demonstrates this a radical change of mentality on cybersecurity is necessary.
NordPass’ annual release is an important wake-up call on an issue that affects millions of people, because The more well-known and widespread a password is, the easier it becomes for cybercriminals to crack it and access sensitive information, bank accounts and digital identities.
Source: NordPass
