First Posted: 1/21/2015
If your computer password is “123456,” you might want to change it. But don’t change it to “password.”
SplashData, a provider of password management applications, released its list of the 25 most common passwords found on the Internet on Tuesday. The company called them the “Worst Passwords of 2014,” for how easily someone could guess them.
Those first six numbers on the keyboard were the most popular password, as it has since 2011. The word “password” itself remains in the No. 2 spot.
You’d think people would be a little more clever with their passwords. After all, an October Gallup survey found 69 percent of U.S. residents worried “frequently” or “occasionally” about computer hackers stealing their credit card information from a store. Their No. 2 fear was a variation on the theme, that someone would have their phone or computer hacker to steal information, with 62 percent saying they worried at least “occasionally” about it.
If we’re so worried, why are we so dumb with our passwords?
Some combination of sequential numbers starting with 1 took five of the top 10 spots in the SlashData survey. The ever-popular “qwerty” came in at No. 5.
Apparently baseball isn’t just America’s pastime but its No. 8-most used password, followed by “dragon” and “football.” All three of those are new to the top 25, but they should make a quick exit.
Passwords are always a touchy topic for folks, especially people who aren’t computer-oriented. It’s hard enough for them to use the computer, much less invent creative passwords. It’s even harder if you follow experts’ suggestion to come up with a different password for every website you use.
All of the things you might remember — your favorite team, your birthday, your children’s names — are all no-nos. SplashData also recommends at least eight characters or more, with mixed types of characters.
I have one friend who takes this to the extreme. He types 16-character passwords, with apparently random strings of letters, numbers and punctuation.
I recently read an article once about “password therapy,” using your password as a way to remind yourself of something important. One author decided to change his password to “Forgive@h3r” and “Quit@smoking4ever.” Another author suggested something like “1*rock2.”
A few years ago, I stumbled upon a list of the most misspelled words in the English language online. I found a few that I knew how to spell and plopped some numbers in them. That might be the answer for someone who wants to “accommodate” the system and be “conscientious” for the need for strong passwords. (Nope, those aren’t my difficult words, so don’t even try.)
Whatever your strategy, here’s hoping you can remember those new passwords and stay safe online.
