Los Gatos: The annual list of worst passwords compiled by software firm SplashData is out and for the first time since it began compiling the list, 'password' has been pushed to the second spot. '123456' has taken top spot as the worst and most stolen password of 2013.
The list includes the 25 most common passwords found on the Internet, according to an official list on the website of the firm.
Two-time runner-up '123456' took the dubious honor, while 'Password' fell to #2. According to SplashData, this year's list was influenced by the large number of passwords from Adobe users posted online by security consulting firm Stricture Consulting Group following Adobe's well publicized security breach.
"Seeing passwords like 'adobe123' and 'photoshop' on this list offers a good reminder not to base your password on the name of the website or application you are accessing," the post quoted Morgan Slain, CEO of SplashData, as saying.
SplashData's list of frequently used passwords shows that many people continue to put themselves at risk by using weak, easily guessable passwords. Some other passwords in the Top Ten include 'qwerty,' 'abc123,' '111111,' and 'iloveyou.'
Another interesting aspect of this year's list is that more short numerical passwords showed up even though websites are starting to enforce stronger password policies. For example, new to this year's list are simple and easily guessable passwords like "1234" at #16, "12345" at #20, and "000000" at #25.
Worst Passwords of 2013:
Password
123456
password
12345678
qwerty
abc123
123456789
111111
1234567
iloveyou
adobe123
123123
admin
1234567890
letmein
photoshop
1234
monkey
shadow
sunshine
12345
password1
princess
azerty
trustno1
000000
How to secure your password:
SplashData suggested some tips to make passwords more secure.
Use passwords of eight characters or more with mixed types of characters. But even passwords with common substitutions like "dr4mat1c" can be vulnerable to attackers' increasingly sophisticated technology, and random combinations like "j%7K&yPx$" can be difficult to remember.
One way to create more secure passwords that are easy to recall is to use passphrases -- short words with spaces or other characters separating them. It's best to use random words rather than common phrases. For example, "cakes years birthday" or "smiles_light_skip?"
Avoid using the same username/password combination for multiple websites. Especially risky is using the same password for entertainment sites that you do for online email, social networking, or financial service sites. Use different passwords for each new website or service you sign up for.
Having trouble remembering all those different strong passwords?
Try using a password manager application that organizes and protects passwords and can automatically log you into websites. There are numerous applications available, but choose one with a strong track record of reliability and security like SplashID Safe, which has a 10 year history and over 1 million users. SplashID Safe has versions available for Windows and Mac as well as smartphones and tablet devices.
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