Are you using one of the 25 worst passwords?

If there’s one popularity list you don’t want to be on, it’s this one.

The one good thing coming out of all the data security breaches this past year, it has revealed the most common passwords people use.

And, if it’s common, that’s bad. That means it will make it easier for hackers to get into your accounts.

This week SplashData announced its annual list of the 25 most common passwords found on the Internet. 

For the first time since SplashData began compiling its annual list, ‘password’ has lost its title as the most common and therefore Worst Password, and two-time runner-up ‘123456’took the dubious honour. ‘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.

Morgan Slain, CEO of SpaalashData, said in a release: “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.” 

Nine of the top 25 worst passwords were just a string of numbers, most of them a variation of 1234.

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.”

Mr Slain said: “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.

SplashData’s top 25 list was compiled from files containing millions of stolen passwords posted online during the previous year. The company advises consumers or businesses using any of the passwords on the list to change them immediately.

SplashData suggests making passwords more secure with these tips:

Password tips

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.

If you are 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.