World5 min(s) read
Published 15:58 14 May 2026 GMT
An experienced cybersecurity expert has revealed the biggest slip-up that online users are guilty of.
The topic of internet safety is fairly well known by the majority of those surfing the web in 2026, but it turns out that a lot of us are still making some avoidable mistakes.
Whether it be phishing training when you start a new job, or being told about the perceived importance of a VPN, the general population is more clued up than they were 15-20 years ago.
Robert Pritchard, the founder of The Cyber Security Expert, has shared his knowledge after 25 years of experience in the industry.
The tech specialist is no stranger when it comes to contributing to media publications and advising us Average Joes against doing certain tasks on the internet.
Cybersecurity is crucial not just in a professional setting, but even when you're browsing on your personal devices.
Above all, there is one mistake that Robert has urged people to avoid.
Speaking exclusively to VT, Robert said that there is one error that too many people make, and it's all to do with passwords.
He explained: "The single biggest threat to online security is, unfortunately, passwords, and the fact that most people use the same passwords in lots of different places.
"There's loads of stuff that people hear online.
"Podcasts can be bombarded with adverts from VPNs, and they don't really do anything.
"But that doesn't matter. The biggest problem is that people get breached because they either get phished, or reuse the same passwords."
"Most people reuse passwords, and if you use the same password everywhere, it's one of the places that you have used that password has been breached, that password is effectively becomes open source, right?" he pointed out.
Robert added that criminals can then reuse it, in what's known as credential stuffing: "They'll take that email and password combination that's in the public domain or sale on dark websites, and they'll try it lots of other places until they get access.
"When you read about breaches a lot of the time, or personal breaches a lot of the time, that's what's happened."
While he pointed out that the majority of users can be guilty of having 'very poor customer discipline,' he acknowledged that we have built a 'crazy ecosystem' where you need lots of passwords, leaving users vulnerable.
Robert then explained that there are some easy ways to avoid having your passwords stolen, with Apple users already at an advantage.
"If you've got an iPhone or a Mac, it will do it for you - it will say, 'Do you want me to save the password for you?' Generate and save a password, and it will sync across all devices. That's really easy."
But for everyone else, there are a couple of other methods which you can use, including having a password manager.
He explained: "This is specialized software which basically does the same thing (as Apple), it's not too expensive.
"Recently, the NCSC (National Cyber Security Center in the UK), has been pushing passkeys, which replace passwords.
"Essentially, you delegate to your devices to manage the access to the websites.
"All you do is prove it's you at the device, either by using a thumb thumbprint or the screen biometrics.
"But those are different solutions."
There is also one traditional method you can do, counter intuitive though it might seem - write it down.
"If you're just slightly worried about it, it's okay to write passwords down. It's much more important that they are unique.
"And if you write them down, you know, the MO of all the criminal hacker gangs out there, is not to come to your house and rummage through your stuff - they're trying to find flaws in your digital environment," he shared.
He advised: "Make them long and unique, and the best way to do that is use three random words.
"So just look around you, for example, a filing cabinet, balcony, picture.
"Combine those, that's quite a long password.
"And, as long as I don't use the same three things every time, I'll get unique passwords for all the sites."
However, he highlighted that having a password manager is the smartest and easiest way to store all your passwords.
Robert warned: "People tend to think that they can come up with some great schemes for passwords, like substituting ones for an exclamation mark - that's rubbish.
"If they (the device) provide it for you, that's great, and you can save it."
He urged: "If you realise, 'oh yeah, I use the same password on a lot of sites', go and change it.
"Go change it on each of those sites to something new, individually for those sites."
