The 25 most popular passwords of 2012

[Hum 6,929]

SplashData compiles an annual list of the most common (and therefore, the worst) passwords from those listings.

1. password (Unchanged)

2, 123456 (Unchanged)

3. 12345678 (Unchanged)

4. abc123 (Up 1)

5. qwerty (Down 1)

6. monkey (Unchanged)

7. letmein (Up 1)

8. dragon (Up 2)

9. 111111 (Up 3)

10. baseball (Up 1)

11. iloveyou (Up 2)

12. trustno1 (Down 3)

13. 1234567 (Down 6)

14. sunshine (Up 1)

15. master (Down 1)

16. 123123 (Up 4)

17. welcome (New)

18. shadow (Up 1)

19. ashley (Down 3)

20. football (Up 5)

21. jesus (New)

22. michael (Up 2)

23. ninja (New)

24. mustang (New)

25. password1 (New)

Keep creating the same old passwords? Here's a few tips:

- Use the first letter from each word in a phrase or line from a song. For example, "Hey, I just met you... And this is crazy... But here's my number... So call me maybe" could be "hijmyaticbhmnscmm." Of course, you'll be stuck singing the damn thing in your head every time you log in.

- Combine two words, such as "hungrydog" or "choppywater." For added security, separate those words with symbols or numbers, or swap numbers in place of certain letters. So instead of "hungrydog," use"hungry$d0g."

- If the site is case-sensitive, vary upper and lower case letters, as well as using numbers and symbols. ("ViDeOgAmE," for example, is much more secure than "videogame.")

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[Growled 3,880]

People really use passwords that simple? Wow!

[DirtyLarry 2,073]

I actually like the tip for using lyrics from a song. Thing with me personally, I tend to make up my own lyrics a lot of the time. Just have to remember to stick with my version. :laugh:

[Xilo 834]

People really use passwords that simple? Wow!

I do at work because we have like 5 different passwords, each have their own slightly different requirements and have to change every 4 months. Easier to make and keep same password for everything and also way easier to remember.

Now, they aren't THAT simple as there's a mix of upper/lowercase and numbers.

[Charisma 2,388]

"letmein" haha, that's actually funny :laugh:

[stumper66 37]

I want to know how this list was obtained. Was it pulled from all the hacked websites recently?

[compl3x 6,252]

- Use the first letter from each word in a phrase or line from a song. For example, "Hey, I just met you... And this is crazy... But here's my number... So call me maybe" could be "hijmyaticbhmnscmm." Of course, you'll be stuck singing the damn thing in your head every time you log in.

This is basically what I do. You can come up with an incredibly secure password:

I own a red stationwagon I purchased in two thousand and ten -- might become

ioarsipi20t or ioarsipitt10

You're never going to forget the colour of your car or the year you purchased it and the sentence is simple to remember.

I live in a red-brick house next to a yellow-brick house:

iliar-bhntay-bh

And so on. Always works for me, and I have about half a dozen like that which I can easily remember.

Note: I don't own a red stationwagon or live in a red-brick house :p

[Hum 6,929]

I love the old Popeye password: Opensezme :laugh:

[evo0o 12]

Puts my password to shame. Haha.

[cork1958 1,070]

I saw this yesterday some where else. I never even considered using any of those, even as a total noob!!

[Teebor 182]

Monkey! Genius, why have I never used that password

*scoots off to change all passwords to monkey*

[MightyJordan 4,829]

I remember one time, I used to use Neowin's motto as my school password: "whereunprofessionaljournalismlooksbetter". Good thing I'm a fast typer. :p

[Simon- 490]

I love the old Popeye password: Opensezme :laugh:

That's funny, I thought it was always "Open Sesame" :laugh:

[Nefarious Trigger 6,782]

I thought it was always "Open Sesame"

It is.

My old boss used "monkey78", as if adding the numerics made it secure...

[Hum 6,929]

That's funny, I thought it was always "Open Sesame" :laugh:

That is what the writers took the idea from, and had Popeye corrupt it into open sez me.