3. Making Slight Variations of the Same Password
Think you’re clever by using John123! for Facebook and John123@ for Gmail? Hackers see right through that. They use algorithms that test password mutations based on patterns.
If they crack one password, they’ll try 50+ variations automatically—adding years, special characters, or changing a few letters.
Fix: Avoid patterns altogether. A good password manager eliminates the need to “remember” variations, giving you stronger protection.