Top 25 Worst Passwords: 'Password,' '123456' Still on Top

Internet users are continuing to utilize passwords that can be easily guessed, according to SplashData's annual "25 Worst Passwords of the Year" list.

Unsurprisingly, the three most popular passwords for 2012 are the same as last year: "password," "123456," and "12345678." The list was compiled thanks to files containing millions of stolen passwords posted by hackers onto the web.

New entries to the list include the likes of 'jesus,' 'ninja,' and 'password1.' Elsewhere, 'superman,' 'passw0rd,' and 'bailey' have fallen off of the list.

"At this time of year, people enjoy focusing on scary costumes, movies and decorations, but those who have been through it can tell you how terrifying it is to have your identity stolen because of a hacked password," said SplashData CEO Morgan Slain. "We're hoping 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."

The 2012 list of the 25 worst passwords:

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)

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