You're Still Using Terrible Passwords

Despite all the warnings about the need for secure passwords, some Web users still use very obvious codes, according to SplashData's annual list of the most commonly used passwords on the Web.

The good news is that "password" is no longer the most popular password, slipping to No. 2. But it has been replaced by the equally dumb "123456."

SplashData's 2013 list was influenced by last year's huge Adobe hack, which saw the release of encrypted passwords for approximately 38 million active users.

"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," Morgan Slain, CEO of SplashData, said in a statement.

Other passwords in the top 10 were the oh-so clever "12345678," as well as "qwerty", "abc123," and "iloveyou," as well as various, easily guessed number combinations ("111111").

"As always, we hope that with more publicity about how risky it is to use weak passwords, more people will start taking simple steps to protect themselves by using stronger passwords and using different passwords for different websites," Slain said.

In addition to using bad passwords, another Internet security faux pas is using the same password across multiple websites and services. A recent review by Trustwave of 2 million passwords on a command-and-control server based in the Netherlands found that 30 percent of users reused their passwords across multiple social-networking accounts.

If your password is exposed through a hack like the one that hit Adobe, hackers will be able to more easily access your other Internet accounts if you use the same password across the Web.

:story: PC Magazine