Most Common Passwords

There are many articles on Yahoo! Tech regarding password security, but no matter what advice we get or receive, we're all most likely to choose a password we can remember. Unfortunately, cyberthieves know this weakness all too well, and try to hack into accounts just by using the most common passwords online first.

PCMagazine says these are the most commonly used passwords, so if yours is on the list, I recommend you change it immediately.

1. password
2. 123456
3. qwerty
4. abc123
5. letmein
6. monkey
7. myspace 1
8. password 1
9. blink182
10. (your first name)

I admit, I've used at least two of these passwords on my low-security accounts (newsites mainly), because as a rule of thumb, I don't ever give up important passwords even on these sites.

Becky Worley put together this password makeover post full of tips to help you choose a memorable password that will also keep the bad guys out of your accounts. She recommends sorting all your online accounts into three security levels (high, medium, low) then assigning appropriate passwords to each group. Obviously, the high-security password should be the hardest to crack since it gives you access to financial accounts. Remember to always avoid using your social security number or home address as a password. It may be easy to remember, but that also means it's easy for thieves to crack.

Chris Null gives us more good advise on how to pick a genuinely secure password on this post, and has a link to a database of more common passwords. Again, if your password is on the list, it's time for a password makeover.

Related:
Passwords 101
Password Makeover
How to Pick a Genuinely Secure Password
How Do They Crack Your Password?