Serious question, why do so many folks still use the same password everywhere?

I was helping my friend set up a new laptop last week and he told me his password for everything is his dog's name and the year he was born. He's a smart guy, but he said 'it's just easier to remember one thing.' I see this all the time, and it's a huge risk. If one site gets hacked, that password is now out there for anyone to try on your email, your bank, everything. I know because my old college email got popped in a breach two years ago, and I had used that password for a few other things. It took me a full weekend to lock everything down again. Using a password manager like Bitwarden or even the free one in your browser is way safer. Has anyone else had to clean up a mess from reused passwords, and what did you do to get your friend or family member to change their habit?

2 comments

2 Comments

miller.paul1mo ago

Tell them to picture their bank account getting emptied. That usually gets the point across. Helped my sister set up a password manager after that talk.

burns.brooke1mo ago

Wait, you had to go that far to get your own sister to use a password manager? That's kind of scary... what was she using before, just like her dog's name and her birthday for everything?