Inside Ireland’s Latest Darkweb Combo list Data Leak: A Masterclass in Bad Passwords!

Passwords are supposed to keep things safe, but for some of Ireland’s biggest organisations, it seems they were more like a gentle suggestion. The recent data leak exposed some truly shocking (and hilarious) password choices, and while it’s tempting to point and laugh, there’s a bigger issue at play:

• Even major organisations still struggle with password security.
• Hackers don’t need advanced tools if people make it this easy for them.
• Good password hygiene isn’t just for IT departments—it’s for everyone.

So, let’s take a friendly (but important) look at some of the worst offenders from this breach. Think of this as a public service announcement, wrapped in humor, with a side of cyber-awareness.

It’s important to note that some of the credentials in this leak may have been intentionally planted as part of a honeypot operations or counter-intelligence efforts. We have not independently verified the authenticity of every password listed—we simply found them in a publicly leaked dataset from the dark web.

That said… let’s be real.

We did verify over 100 other passwords (from the over half a million from Ireland alone) on the same leak with their actual users, and they all confirmed, "Yep, that was my old password." So while we can’t say with 100% certainty that every single password here was genuinely in use, let’s just say the pattern speaks for itself.

In short: Our intent is not to get anyone in trouble or to make anyone look stupid but instead to simply help rasie awareness so these things dont repeat themselves........

Although the data included is publically available on the darkweb leak we did not wish to publish the full email addresses below but be advised we did contact each of the email addresses to inform them about the leaks and the article and allowed then the adequte time to make an official response however unfortunately did not recieve a reply from any of the POCs.

1. ****@revenue.ie : revenue

?? "What should our password be for the Revenue office?"

?? "How about… revenue?"

?? "Brilliant."

• When your entire job is collecting tax, maybe don’t make it this taxing for your IT team.
• This is like setting the alarm code for a bank to 1234 and hoping for the best.

?? Lesson: If your password is just the name of your organisation, congratulations—you’ve already lost.

2. ****@dublinpride.ie : gaypride

?? We get it. Dublin Pride is all about being open and proud, but your password shouldn’t be.

?? This is like hiding your house key under a mat labeled "House Key".

?? Lesson: Hackers love when people pick passwords that are directly related to their organisation, interests, or mission—because it makes their job incredibly easy.

3. ****@taoiseach.gov.ie : Taoiseach

?? "Sure, no one will ever guess the name of Ireland’s Prime Minister’s office, right?"

?? This is one step away from making the password "Ireland123".

?? Lesson: If your password could be guessed by a tourist on their first day in Dublin, it's time for a change.

4. ****@lidl.ie : lidl5

?? Ah yes, the classic "company name + small number" trick. Flawless.

?? Cybercriminals seeing this password: "Wow, this is Lidl effort!"

?? Lesson: If your password looks like it came from a corporate handbook from 2002, it’s probably time to rethink your security strategy.

5. ****@defenceforces.iol.ie : defence

?? You’d think national security would require a bit more… security.

?? This password would be cracked before you even finish saying "defence."

?? Lesson: One-word passwords are dead. Attackers start by guessing the most obvious words—If your password is the literal job description of your organisation, attackers are already one step ahead. This is gold to foreign intelligence and hackers.....

6. ****@health.irlgov.ie : health

?? If this password had a health check-up, it would be in critical condition.

?? This is the password is the digital equivalent of not washing your hands in a hospital.

?? Lesson: When your job is to protect sensitive information, your password shouldn’t be the first word that comes to mind.

7. ****@transport.ie : danielday

?? This one might seem random, but here’s the thing—it’s not.

?? "Daniel Day" is Dublin slang for the Luas (light rail system) as it refers to Daniel Day Lewis (Luas). And who is this email for? The transport office.

?? If you’ve ever taken the Luas, you already cracked this password.

?? Lesson: Inside jokes don’t make good passwords, especially if they’re widely known cultural references.

8. ****@ifsconline.ie : IFSC1

?? The International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) manages billions in financial transactions.

?? The best security they could come up with? IFSC1.

?? That’s like locking a vault with a bicycle lock.

?? Lesson: If your password looks like something a hacker would try in the first 3 seconds, it’s not a password.

9. ****@justice.ie : depojustic

?? Seems like someone tried to write "Dept of Justice" but gave up halfway through.

?? Even their typos are insecure.

?? Lesson: Misspelled words don’t make good passwords—attackers use common variations in brute-force attacks.

10. ****@gaa.ie : gaelic

?? The GAA using "gaelic" as their password is like McDonald's using "bigmac." (For those unfamilar with Irelands national sports the reason this one is so bad is that GAA.ie refers to the Gaelic Athletic Association.)

?? Congratulations, you just won the weakest password of the season.

?? Lesson: When your password is the most obvious word related to your organisation, it’s not a password—it’s an invitation.

11. ****@garda.ie : Gardai

?? The Garda securing their account with… "Gardai."

??♂? Criminals breaking into this account: "Well, that was easy."

?? Lesson: Law enforcement accounts are prime targets for hackers—strong passwords should be non-negotiable.

12. ****@dublincity.ie : Password1

?? "Password1"—because adding one number makes all the difference, right?

?? This is like Leaving the key in door of the Mansion house and calling it secure. Which wouldnt work out to well considering the amount they spent from their budget on Guiness and alcohol alone. (True story....)

?? Lesson: If your password is on every "Top 10 Worst Passwords" list ever made, it’s time for a rethink.

13. ****@psa.gov.ie : password

?? The Private Security Authority—the organisation responsible for regulating security standards in Ireland.

?? Their password? "password." ??♂? That’s like the Fire Brigade storing petrol in the station "for safekeeping."

?? Lesson: If your entire job is enforcing security and you’re using the most guessed password in history, it might be time for a team meeting.

14. ****@irishprisons.ie : mountjoy

?? Analysis:

• Mountjoy Prison? As the password? Come on…"Mountjoy" refers to Mountjoy Prison, one of Ireland’s most well-known prisons in Ireland.
• This is basically an invitation to break in.

?? OSINT Insight:

• Predictable. Hackers would try other prison names too—Cloverhill, Portlaoise, etc.

What This Teaches Us About Cybersecurity

While these passwords might seem funny, the reality is they highlight some very real cybersecurity risks.

How Hackers Exploit Weak Passwords

?? OSINT Research: They look at company names, common phrases, employee interests, and industry-specific terms.

?? AI-Assisted Cracking: Modern AI tools can generate custom password lists based on OSINT data.

?? Dark Web Breaches: If an email has been compromised before, attackers will try those old passwords on new accounts.

How to Avoid Being in the Next Password Leak

? Use passphrases, not simple words (e.g., "BlueElephant!RainyDublin2024")

? Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) to add an extra layer of security

? Never reuse passwords across multiple accounts

? Use a password manager to generate and store complex, unique passwords

If you want to actually understand how attackers think and learn real-world cybersecurity skills, check out our OSINT Course. We teach you how hackers gather data, predict passwords, and exploit weak security—so you can stay ahead of them.

?? Learn more here: https://www.osinttraining.info/shop/p/onlineosintcourse

Has Your Email Been Leaked? Here’s How to Check

If you’re wondering whether your own email has been involved in a data breach, you can check for free on Have I Been Pwned.

Just enter your email address, and it will show you if your data has been exposed in any past leaks—along with details on what was compromised (passwords, personal info, etc.).

If you find your email in a breach, change your passwords immediately, enable multi-factor authentication (MFA), and consider using a password manager for better security.

Dont hesitate for a second to contact me if you have any questions or need any advice I am here to help and have dedicated my entire career to helping others stay safe so allow me that opportunity and hit me up if I can help with anything at all!!