The company SplashData does a great service to everyone on the internet each year.  They release a list of the 25 most used passwords that people dumb enough use to access their accounts online.  Seriously, using passwords like “123456” or “password” is going to get your accounts hacked!  Thankfully, more and more websites are requiring passwords to be stronger, but many websites today just require any password, and that needs to change!

Yes, today it is harder to remember so many passwords because people have multiple accounts in the online world.  But you can write down your passwords and keep them in a safe place, or use a service like LastPass to create hard passwords so your accounts can not be hacked.  The company SplashData has released their list of the 25 worst passwords of 2014, they are:

1. 123456
2. password
3. 12345
4. 12345678
5. qwerty
6. 234567890
7. 1234
8. baseball
9. dragon
10. football
11. 1234567
12. monkey
13. letmein
14. abc123
15. 111111
16. mustang
17. access
18. shadow
19. master
20. michael
21. superman
22. 696969
23. 123123
24. batman
25. trustno1

The company analyzed the 3 million passwords leaked online last year, and they revealed that the most common leaked password in 2014 was “123456,” followed by “password”, which were the two most common passwords in 2013 too.  Not only number sequences were popular, but sports terms, sports teams, birthday years, and popular names also made the top 100 list.  With hacking scandals and information online being stolen often, using easy passwords is a no-no!

SplashData’s top 25 list was compiled from files containing millions of stolen passwords posted online by hackers. The company advises consumers or businesses using any of the passwords on the list above to change them immediately!  It’s now recommended to pick a different password for each account you use.  Passwords should be 14 characters long and you should avoid words with personal information.  Also, consider using two-factor authentication if a website uses it.  And, if you have trouble remembering all of your passwords, consider using a password manager application that organizes and protects passwords and can automatically log you into websites.

There is no excuse to use easy passwords like the ones above!  Unless you enjoy being hacked into!  And enjoy an infographic below!

Related articles

• The 25 Most Popular Passwords of 2014: We’re All Doomed
• 6 Ways to Create a Super-Secure Password
• Two-Factor Authentication: The Death of the P4ssw0rd?
• Worst passwords of 2014 are just as terrible as you’d think
• If Your Password Is On This List, You Should Change It Immediately

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