Near-identical password reuse occurs when users make small, predictable changes to an existing password rather than creating a completely new one. While these changes satisfy formal password rules, they do little to reduce real-world exposure. Here are some classic examples: Adding or changing a number Summer2023! → Summer2024! Appending a character Swapping symbols or capitalization Welcome! → Welcome? AdminPass → adminpass Another common scenario occurs when organizations issue a standard starter password to new employees, and instead of replacing it entirely, users make incremental changes over time to remain compliant.
"The storage of local admin credentials in plaintext scripts across numerous hosts increases the risk of widespread unauthorized access, and the usage of non-unique passwords facilitates lateral movement throughout the network."
"Password managers are high-value targets and face constant attacks across multiple surfaces, including cloud infrastructure, client devices, and browser extensions," said NordPass PR manager Gintautas Degutis.