The latest research from Kaspersky reveals a concerning trend: the vast majority of compromised passwords not only fail to adhere to basic password safety guidelines but also remain unchanged for extended periods, significantly weakening their protective capabilities.
To address these vulnerabilities and provide users with more secure and modern login methods, Kaspersky has enhanced its Password Manager with Passkey technology. This upgrade enables users to securely access their accounts while enjoying seamless synchronization across multiple devices.
The Weaknesses of Traditional Passwords
While passwords remain a primary authentication method, their position as a top-tier security measure is increasingly challenged. Passwords, often created by users themselves, are inherently susceptible to human error and predictable patterns. Kaspersky experts analyzed major password leaks from 2023 to 2025, identifying several alarming trends:
Predictable Patterns: Users frequently append easily guessable elements like numbers, dates, and personal identifiers to their passwords.
- For instance, 10% of passwords analyzed contained a number resembling a date (from 1990 to 2025).
- A staggering 0.5% of all leaked passwords ended with the number 2024, meaning that every 200th password followed this predictable pattern!
Common Combinations: The most frequently occurring password combination is the incredibly simple “12345,” which drastically reduces cryptographic strength and significantly shortens the time required for successful brute-force attacks.
Personal Information: Other popular password components include the word “love,” users’ names, and even countries’ names, all of which are easily obtainable and exploitable.
The Peril of Password Reuse
Compounding these issues, a significant proportion of leaked passwords remain unchanged for years. In 2025, 54% of leaked passwords had already been compromised in previous data breaches, highlighting the widespread and dangerous practice of reusing outdated passwords. Data analysis indicates that the average lifespan of a password found in these leaks is between 3.5 and 4 years.
The Rise of Passkeys: A More Secure Alternative
These findings underscore the critical vulnerability of password-based authentication when best practices for creation, management, and storage are not rigorously followed. In response to the growing need for robust security, the industry is increasingly embracing next-generation solutions like Passkeys, which offer superior protection against evolving cyber threats.
How Passkeys Enhance Security
Passkey technology leverages cryptographic keys and biometrics, making it inherently more resistant to threats like phishing and data leaks. A passkey is created specifically for a particular account on a particular platform and is stored directly on the user’s device or within a password manager.
- Enhanced Security: Passkeys eliminate the need to remember and type complex passwords, reducing the risk of human error and vulnerability to phishing attacks.
- Biometric Authentication: Passkeys often incorporate biometric authentication methods like fingerprint scanning or facial recognition, adding an extra layer of security.
- Device-Specific Security: Because passkeys are stored directly on the user’s device, they are less susceptible to large-scale data breaches that target centralized password databases.
Kaspersky Password Manager’s New Passkey Feature
When a user registers on a platform that supports Passkeys, the device generates a private key and shares a public key with the service. The private key is securely stored directly on the device, which enhances security but can complicate authorization from other devices.
Now, Passkeys can be created and stored directly within Kaspersky Password Manager. This allows users to not only sign in to supported services with a single tap but also access their Passkeys on all their devices, thanks to secure synchronization.
Streamlining Security and Convenience
“From our own experience, we’ve seen how constantly juggling logins and passwords for work, study, and even leisure can erode both time and security. Kaspersky Password Manager has long streamlined this process with tools like our secure password generator and auto-fill functionality – ensuring users never sacrifice safety for speed,” comments Marina Titova, Vice President for Consumer Business at Kaspersky.
“In addition to that, we are happy to offer our customers a new Passkey feature – an enhanced level of account protection that makes authentication even simpler and, most importantly, more secure,” she adds.
Getting Started with Passkeys in Kaspersky Password Manager
Passkey functionality is now available on all platforms in the latest version of Kaspersky Password Manager. To create a passkey within the application, users must first update to the newest version and grant it all necessary permissions. Then, simply open the website where you wish to create the passkey and follow the in-app guidance to register and save it.
