Can You Guess What's the Worst Password to Have?
By: Jane Wells | CNBC Reporter
Occasionally I'm forced to change my password to access financial and benefits information. It's a pain, requiring me to memorize something new, but I'm glad I have to do it. An easy password is the online equivalent of leaving your front door open or running into a store with your car running.
How easy are some passwords? As easy as "123123"…literally.
SplashData has released the list of worst passwords of 2012, and "123123" is #16 on the list of 25.
Most surprising, the number one bad password is…"password".
Really?
I can only assume someone using "password" as his or her password is:
- Brilliant, because no identity thief would ever suspect something so obvious.
- Stupid, because identity thieves know better.
- Has nothing worth stealing.
SplashData has added some passwords to its list for the first time: "welcome", "jesus", "ninja", "mustang", and my favorite, "password1". That extra digit will show 'em!
Certain passwords are moving up and down the list compared to last year. The password "football" has moved up five spots to #20, while the ironic password "trustno1" has dropped three points to #12, after a lot of people realized they really should trust no one.
—By CNBC's Jane Wells
@janewells
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