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The year 2012 is not quite over yet, but we have had a lot of incidents of security breaches. Correct me if I’m wrong,... Worst Passwords of 2012

The year 2012 is not quite over yet, but we have had a lot of incidents of security breaches. Correct me if I’m wrong, but hackers seem to be getting smarter and more creative, while some users just continue being lazy and lax when it comes to security.  How do you measure up in terms of ensuring your security online?

Worst Passwords of 2012

Recently, SplashData shared its list of the worst passwords of 2012. This list is annually compiled by the company, which develops password management programs. The list comes, not from a survey, but from hackers themselves, who post the common passwords they encounter. That’s as good – or as bad – as it gets!

The worst passwords of 2012 are:

  1. password
  2. 123456
  3. 12345678
  4. abc123
  5. qwerty
  6. monkey
  7. letmein
  8. dragon
  9. 111111
  10. baseball
  11.  iloveyou
  12. trustno1
  13. 1234567
  14. sunshine
  15. master
  16. 123123
  17. welcome
  18. shadow
  19. ashley
  20. football
  21. jesus
  22. michael
  23. ninja
  24. mustang
  25. password1
Many of the items on the list are not surprising at all, and in fact, the experts say that many of the bad passwords have merely changed rankings in the list. “Welcome” as a password, however, is taken to be a surprising addition.
So, after taking a look at that list, can you honestly say that not one of your current passwords is included? Even a slight variation?
The implications
You might not have to go far to understand the situation. Just take the time to examine your password creation/use habits. Do you use different passwords for every single account? Do you change passwords regularly?

If the worst passwords of 2012 are not all that different from that of last year’s, then it does mean that people are not changing their passwords. Additionally, experts say that there are still people who do not change the default passwords in some of their accounts! Now, you may think that ridiculously stupid, but it does happen!

All this points to the possibility that users may not be all that concerned about their online security. Either that or we’re just too lazy to do something about it.
Worst passwords of 2012

Strong Passwords

What to do?

Speaking of doing something about it, with all the password management tools available today, even the most forgetful and laziest user has no excuse to use secure passwords. There is even no need to remember all of them! I personally use LastPass, which allows me to save all my passwords in one secure location. I only have to remember my LastPass password, and I am good to go wherever I am, whatever machine I use. Additionally, this program can generate secure passwords and autofill login details if you set it up. It really does everything for you!

If you want to create passwords manually but keep them secure and memorable, here’s a practical guide to keep your passwords safe and private.

 

[Images via 4thmedia and Theemailadmin]