Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Top 10 Most Common Passwords

From the first time we going online to internet until offline, every aspects of security is depending on passwords. Opening your email, using PayPal, shopping on eBay, using the ATM, home security is using passwords to secure it. We surely once in a while receiving news about security theft, fraud and phising sites and yet after some sample of passwords (primarily from the UK), it might be a good time to change your current passwords to a more secure one.

10. 'thomas' (0.99‰)

Using name as password (actually this is the 2nd most popular in 2000 in UK) is no surprise. That means nearly 1 in 1,000 people use this as their password.

9. 'arsenal' (1.11‰)

Soccer teams name are another favorite to choose as a password.

8. 'monkey' (1.33‰)

Still can not understand why these 6-letter words are among the top 10 list. There are lots of animals out there and why this entire people choose this one. Is monkey easier to memorize?

7. 'charlie' (1.39‰)

Another common name in UK and more popular than thomas. Or maybe they were referring to its slang meaning.

6. 'qwerty' (1.41‰)

Maybe the reason why 1 in 700 people choose this 'qwerty' because this is the easiest letter they can find in the keyboard.

5. '123456' (1.63‰)

Of course they type it until 6 only because that is the most common minimum required length of password.

4. 'letmein' (1.76‰)

Still wonder why this 'letmein' can be so popular.

3. 'liverpool' (1.82‰)

On of the most popular soccer team in UK. This means that 1 in 550 people are such big fans of Liverpool.

2. 'password' (3.780‰)

Almost 1 in 250 people choosing the word 'password' for some reason, maybe the easiest way to remember it.

1. '123' (3.784‰)

With nearly 4 people in 1,000 this simple number maybe the first thing they could easily think of.


Source : Top 10 Most Common Passwords by Stuart Brown

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good advice to change your password but as you pointed out, the problem is that strong passwords are VERY hard to remember. Any secure alternative must be easy or people just won't use it.

The solution is to use a password manager. All that is, is a sort of secure organizer that lets you store all those impossible to remember (but strong) passwords. So nothing t remember, and you just look up what you need, when you need. And it's safe.

Here's an article on our blog (its product blog, be forewarned):

Why you must use a password manager.

I hope that helps.
Cheers,
Tara

angin-berbisik said...

wah untung password2ku ga termasuk di dalam Top 10 Most Common Passwords...

Anonymous said...

I always use apocope, numeric, & symbols, as a password.