SplashData puts together updated list of the worst passwords to use
In what’s become an annual tradition, SplashData — a company that makes productivity apps for smartphones — has released an updated list of passwords that it claims are the most often used.
SplashData has released an updated list of the most-often used passwords for 2012. (Via: weboaid.com)
The list is 25-long and is put together by the company using passwords that hackers have posted on web sites to demonstrate the ease with which they’re able to access online accounts.
The top three passwords in this year’s list are the same as last year’s: “password,” “123456,” and “12345678” are all still in heavy use.
In their report, SplashData suggests that the reason why most people use these passwords is because they are more afraid of forgetting their password than a hacker being able to figure it out. Others, meanwhile, hear about high-profile website hack incidents, like the one’s that happened this past year with Yahoo, LinkedIn, eHarmony, and Last.fm, and respond by changing their password to something else that’s easy to remember. This is what led to some new passwords like “Jesus,” “mustang,” and “ninja” making this year’s list.
“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,” said Morgan Slain, SplashData CEO.
Top 25 Worst Passwords of 2012
1. password (Unchanged)
2. 123456 (Unchanged)
3. 12345678 (Unchanged)
4. abc123 (Up 1)
5. qwerty (Down 1)
6. monkey (Unchanged)
7. letmein (Up 1)
8. dragon (Up 2)
9. 111111 (Up 3)
10. baseball (Up 1)
11. iloveyou (Up 2)
12. trustno1 (Down 3)
13. 1234567 (Down 6)
14. sunshine (Up 1)
15. master (Down 1)
16. 123123 (Up 4)
17. welcome (New)
18. shadow (Up 1)
19. ashley (Down 3)
20. football (Up 5)
21. jesus (New)
22. michael (Up 2)
23. ninja (New)
24. mustang (New)
25. password1 (New)
Of course, if your password appears on this list, it is highly recommended that it be changed immediately, or you otherwise risk having your account(s) compromised.
“Even though each year hacking tools get more sophisticated, thieves still tend to prefer easy targets,” Slain said. “Just a little bit more effort in choosing better passwords will go a long way toward making you safer online.”
How to improve your password
Many companies list suggestions on ways for employees who use company computers to create better passwords. The most popular and effective method so far is to use a mix of numbers and letters that is, at the very least, eight characters long.
Experts recommend using different passwords for different sites, saying that this prevents hackers from getting into multiple accounts using a single password. For those with the not-so-easy-to-remember password, another suggestion is to use a password manager application, which tracks all of a user’s passwords and enters them automatically when the user logs into the registered / manager application site.
Above all else though, experts suggest as best practice to avoid using the password used to access social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to also access sites that store one’s bank or credit card information. ■
Story via: prweb.com
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