Avoiding Patterns: Common Mistakes in Self-Made Passwords

Introduction

Even with the best intentions, many people create weak passwords by following predictable patterns. These patterns make passwords vulnerable to sophisticated attacks, even if they meet length and complexity requirements. In this guide, we'll expose the most common password mistakes and show you how to avoid them.

The Pattern Problem

Hackers know the patterns people use. Modern cracking tools include rules that specifically target these patterns, making "clever" passwords surprisingly easy to crack.

Why Patterns Are Dangerous

Pattern-based passwords have low effective entropy:

• Theoretical entropy: Based on length and character set
• Effective entropy: Much lower due to predictability

Example:

• Password123!
• Theoretical: 12 chars × 6.55 bits = 79 bits
• Effective: ~20 bits (extremely common pattern)

Common Pattern #1: Word + Numbers + Symbol

The Pattern

[Word][Numbers][Symbol]

Examples

❌ Password123!
❌ Welcome2024!
❌ Summer2024!
❌ Letmein123!

Why It's Weak

• Dictionary word is easily guessed
• Year is predictable (current or birth year)
• Symbol at end is most common position
• Entire pattern is in hacker dictionaries

Time to Crack

Despite being 12+ characters: Seconds to minutes

The Fix

Use our Strong Password Generator for truly random passwords:

✅ K9#mL2$pQ7@nR4!v

Common Pattern #2: Keyboard Walks

The Pattern

Following keyboard layout patterns

Examples

❌ qwerty123
❌ asdfghjkl
❌ 1qaz2wsx
❌ zxcvbnm
❌ qwertyuiop

Why It's Weak

• Extremely common pattern
• Easy to type = easy to guess
• In all password cracking dictionaries
• No real randomness

Time to Crack

Instantly - these are in the top 1000 most common passwords

The Fix

Never use keyboard patterns. Generate random passwords instead.

Common Pattern #3: Repeated Characters

The Pattern

Repeating characters or sequences

Examples

❌ aaaaaa123
❌ Password11
❌ abcabcabc
❌ 123123123

Why It's Weak

• Reduces effective character set
• Lowers entropy significantly
• Easy to detect and exploit
• Common in weak passwords

Entropy Impact

aaaaaa (6 chars) has entropy of only 1 bit (2 possibilities: all a's or not)

The Fix

Ensure each character is independently random.

Common Pattern #4: Substitutions (Leetspeak)

The Pattern

Replacing letters with similar-looking numbers/symbols

Examples

❌ P@ssw0rd
❌ L3tm31n
❌ H3ll0W0rld
❌ Adm1n!str@t0r

Why It's Weak

• These substitutions are well-known
• Cracking tools test all common substitutions
• Barely increases entropy
• False sense of security

Common Substitutions (All in Hacker Dictionaries)

• a → @, 4
• e → 3
• i → 1, !
• o → 0
• s → $, 5
• t → 7

Time to Crack

Only slightly longer than the original word: Seconds to minutes

The Fix

Don't rely on substitutions. Use completely random passwords.

Common Pattern #5: Personal Information

The Pattern

Using personal details in passwords

Examples

❌ John1990 (name + birth year)
❌ Fluffy2024 (pet name + year)
❌ MainSt456 (address)
❌ Yankees#1 (favorite team)

Why It's Weak

• Personal info is often public (social media)
• Easy to research
• Targeted attacks use this information
• Predictable to people who know you

Social Engineering Risk

Attackers can:

• Check Facebook for pet names, birth dates
• Look up address history
• Research interests and hobbies
• Find family member names

The Fix

Never use personal information. Use randomly generated passwords.

Common Pattern #6: Sequential Patterns

The Pattern

Following sequences or progressions

Examples

❌ abc123xyz
❌ 123456789
❌ abcdefgh
❌ Password1, Password2, Password3 (across accounts)

Why It's Weak

• Highly predictable
• Easy to guess next in sequence
• Low entropy
• Common in password lists

The Domino Effect

If one password is compromised:

• Work1 → attacker tries Work2, Work3
• Email1 → attacker tries Email2, Email3

The Fix

Each password should be completely independent and random.

Common Pattern #7: Base Password + Variation

The Pattern

Using one "base" password with small variations

Examples

❌ MyPass123! (email)
❌ MyPass456! (bank)
❌ MyPass789! (work)

Or:

❌ SecurePass!FB (Facebook)
❌ SecurePass!TW (Twitter)
❌ SecurePass!IG (Instagram)

Why It's Weak

• If one is compromised, all are vulnerable
• Pattern is easy to detect
• Defeats purpose of unique passwords
• Credential stuffing attacks will find variations

The Fix

Every password must be completely unique. Use a password manager.

Common Pattern #8: Dictionary Words

The Pattern

Using actual words, even if combined

Examples

❌ correcthorsebatterystaple
❌ bluesky2024
❌ happydog123
❌ sunflowerpassword

Why It's Weak

• Dictionary attacks try all word combinations
• Even 4-5 random words have limited entropy
• Faster to crack than equivalent random characters
• Predictable structure

Dictionary Attack Speed

Modern tools can try:

• Billions of word combinations per second
• All common word pairs in minutes
• All 4-word combinations in hours/days

The Fix

Compare passphrases vs random passwords. For maximum security, use random characters.

Common Pattern #9: Dates and Numbers

The Pattern

Using dates, years, or simple number sequences

Examples

❌ January2024
❌ 12345678
❌ 01011990 (birthdate)
❌ 20240101 (date format)

Why It's Weak

• Limited range (dates, years)
• Highly predictable
• Easy to brute force
• Common in password lists

Number Patterns to Avoid

• Birth dates (yours or family)
• Anniversaries
• Current year
• Phone numbers
• Address numbers
• Social security numbers
• Sequential numbers (123, 456, 789)

The Fix

Use random numbers throughout the password, not clustered.

Common Pattern #10: Length Padding

The Pattern

Taking a weak password and just making it longer

Examples

❌ passwordpasswordpassword
❌ admin!!!!!!!!!
❌ 12345678901234567890
❌ aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Why It's Weak

• Repetition is easily detected
• Doesn't increase effective entropy
• Pattern-based attacks handle this
• Still fundamentally weak

The Fix

Length only helps if the password is also random. Use our Strong Password Generator for 16+ character random passwords.

How Hackers Exploit Patterns

Rule-Based Attacks

Cracking tools like Hashcat use rules:

# Append numbers
$1 $2 $3

# Capitalize first letter
c

# Add symbol at end
$!

# Leetspeak substitutions
sa@ so0 si1

# Combine rules
c $1 $2 $3 $!

These rules generate millions of variations from dictionary words.

Pattern Recognition

Machine learning models can:

• Detect common patterns
• Predict likely passwords
• Prioritize high-probability guesses
• Adapt to user behavior

Time to Crack Common Patterns

| Pattern | Example | Time to Crack | |---------|---------|---------------| | Word + number + symbol | Password123! | Seconds | | Keyboard walk | qwerty123 | Instant | | Leetspeak | P@ssw0rd | Seconds | | Personal info | John1990 | Minutes | | Base + variation | MyPass123! | Minutes | | Random 16-char | K9#mL2$pQ7@nR4!v | Trillions of years |

Creating Pattern-Free Passwords

The Right Way

Use our Strong Password Generator to create truly random passwords:

✅ K9#mL2$pQ7@nR4!v
✅ Xt8&Yz3*Bw6%Jq1^
✅ Fp5!Hd9@Mk2#Ns7$

Characteristics:

• No dictionary words
• No personal information
• No predictable patterns
• High entropy
• Truly random

The Wrong Way

❌ Trying to be "clever"
❌ Using memorable patterns
❌ Modifying dictionary words
❌ Using personal information
❌ Following any system

Testing for Patterns

Red Flags

Your password likely has patterns if:

• You can explain how you created it
• It contains dictionary words
• It follows a formula
• You use similar passwords elsewhere
• It's based on personal information
• You can remember it easily

Green Flags

Your password is pattern-free if:

• Generated by a tool
• Completely random
• Impossible to remember
• No recognizable words
• No logical structure
• Stored in password manager

Real-World Examples

Bad: Pattern-Based

Password: Summer2024!
Pattern: Season + Year + Symbol
Entropy: ~20 bits (effective)
Time to crack: Seconds

Good: Random

Password: K9#mL2$pQ7@nR4!v
Pattern: None (random)
Entropy: 105 bits
Time to crack: Trillions of years

Breaking Bad Habits

Habit 1: "I need to remember it"

Solution: Use a password manager. You only need to remember one master password.

Habit 2: "I'll make it memorable"

Solution: Memorable = predictable. Let the password manager remember for you.

Habit 3: "I'll use a system"

Solution: Systems create patterns. Use random generation instead.

Habit 4: "I'll add complexity to a simple password"

Solution: Start with randomness, not a base word.

Best Practices

1. Always Use Random Generation

Generate passwords with our Strong Password Generator:

• No human input
• No patterns
• Maximum entropy
• Truly random

2. Never Reuse or Modify

Each password should be:

• Completely unique
• Independently generated
• Unrelated to other passwords

3. Use a Password Manager

Password managers eliminate the need for patterns:

• Store unlimited passwords
• Generate random passwords
• Auto-fill forms
• Sync across devices

4. Enable 2FA

Even with strong passwords, enable two-factor authentication for critical accounts.

5. Check Password Strength

Use our Strong Password Generator to:

• See real-time entropy
• Verify randomness
• Check strength rating

Conclusion

Avoid these common password patterns:

❌ Word + numbers + symbol
❌ Keyboard walks
❌ Repeated characters
❌ Leetspeak substitutions
❌ Personal information
❌ Sequential patterns
❌ Base password + variations
❌ Dictionary words
❌ Dates and simple numbers
❌ Length padding

Instead:

✅ Use random generation
✅ Aim for 16+ characters
✅ Use all character types
✅ Store in password manager
✅ Make each password unique

Ready to create pattern-free passwords? Use our Strong Password Generator to generate truly random, secure passwords instantly.

Related Reading

• How Hackers Crack Weak Passwords
• Random Password Creator: How True Randomness Improves Security
• Password Entropy Explained