Cybersecurity risks rise in Australia due to weak passwords

Australians are increasingly vulnerable to cybercrime due to the use of easily guessable passwords. Research indicates that the three most common passwords used in Australia are ‘admin’, ‘password’, and ‘123456’, despite repeated warnings regarding security risks.

A report from the Australian Institute of Criminology found that 47 per cent of surveyed online Australians experienced at least one form of cybercrime in the previous 12 months. Additionally, the Australian Signals Directorate’s Australian Cyber Security Centre reported receiving over 84,700 cybercrime reports in 2024–25, with the average self-reported financial loss for individual victims reaching $33,000.

In Western Australia, an audit by the Auditor General identified weaknesses in how seven State Government entities managed and secured Microsoft 365 systems. The audit highlighted shortcomings in identity management, information protection, and security monitoring, which increase the risk of data breaches and service disruptions.

Globally, the issue remains widespread. Analysis cited by the Alan Boswell Group revealed that approximately 210 million people used ‘123456’ and over 52 million used ‘password’.