SplashData has just announced its annual list of the worst passwords based from internet and hackers data, which features the most common phrases such as password, 123456 and 12345678 (which still on the top 3 since last year and remains unchanged) along with the new strings which include welcome, jesus, ninja, mustang and password1 where the notable for 2012.
The word “password” tops again the list of worst passwords again for 2012. Recent study shows that majority of password users choose “password” as their main word or phrase to secure their online accounts. Apparently, that puts the “password” on top of the worst character string that you should avoid when creating password to protect your online identity and accounts. Unique password makes it safer and less prone from hacks and other online vulnerabilities.
On the age of mobile devices, getting your devices stolen double the change of getting your account compromised if it’s not properly secured with a strong password. The most common social networking iOS or android app that we usually have on our mobile devices will be twitter or facebook for As, which is commonly being compromised online, letting your identity prone to security risks. So it’s a good thing to keep our passwords unique and easy to remember.
“At this time of year, people enjoy focusing on scary costumes, movies and decorations, but those who have been through it can tell you how terrifying it is to have your identity stolen because of a hacked password,” according to ,SplashData CEO, Morgan Slain. “We’re hoping that with more publicity about how risky it is to use weak passwords, more people will start taking simple steps to protect themselves by using stronger passwords and using different passwords for different websites.”
Here’s the complete list of the worst passwords of 2012:
- password (unchanged)
- 123456 (unchanged)
- 12345678 (unchanged)
- abc123 (up 1)
- qwerty (down 1)
- monkey (unchanged)
- letmein (up 1)
- dragon (up 2)
- 111111 (up 3)
- baseball (up 1)
- iloveyou (up 2)
- trustno1 (down 3)
- 1234567 (down 6)
- sunshine (up 1)
- master (down 1)
- 123123 (up 4)
- welcome (new)
- shadow (up 1)
- ashley (down 3)
- football (up 5)
- jesus (new)
- michael (up 2)
- ninja (new)
- mustang (new)
- password1 (new)
If ever you find your password to be one on the list, we recommend changing it immediately, for your online protection and reducing the chance that your account will be hacked.
Source: Mashable