This website requires certain cookies to work and uses other cookies to help you have the best experience. By visiting this website, certain cookies have already been set, which you may delete and block. By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to the use of cookies. Visit our updated privacy and cookie policy to learn more.
This Website Uses Cookies
By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Learn More
This website requires certain cookies to work and uses other cookies to help you have the best experience. By visiting this website, certain cookies have already been set, which you may delete and block. By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to the use of cookies. Visit our updated privacy and cookie policy to learn more.
Security Magazine logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Security Magazine logo
  • Home
  • News
    • Security Newswire
    • Technologies
    • Security Blog
    • Newsletter
    • Web Exclusives
  • Columns
    • Career Intelligence
    • Security Talk
    • The Corner Office
    • Leadership & Management
    • Cyber Tactics
    • Overseas and Secure
    • The Risk Matrix
  • Management
    • Leadership Management
    • Enterprise Services
    • Security Education & Training
    • More
  • Physical
    • Access Management
    • Video Surveillance
    • Identity Management
    • More
  • Cyber
  • Sectors
    • Education: University
    • Hospitals & Medical Centers
    • Critical Infrastructure
    • More
  • Exclusives
    • Security 500 Report
    • Most Influential People in Security
    • Top Guard and Security Officer Companies
    • The Security Leadership Issue
    • Annual Innovations, Technology, & Services Report
  • Events
    • Industry Events
    • Webinars
    • Solutions by Sector
    • Security 500 Conference
    • Security 500 West
  • Resources
    • The Magazine
      • This Month's Issue
      • Digital Edition
      • Archives
      • Professional Security Canada
    • Videos
      • ISC West 2019
    • Photo Galleries
    • Polls
    • Classifieds & Job Listings
    • White Papers
    • Mobile App
    • Store
    • Sponsor Insights
    • Continuing Education
  • InfoCenters
    • Break-in Prevention
    • Building AppSec in Enterprises
    • Video Management Systems
  • Contact
    • Editorial Guidelines
  • Advertise
Home » The Worst Passwords of 2017 Revealed
Cyber Security NewsAccess ManagementCyberIdentity ManagementSecurity Newswire

The Worst Passwords of 2017 Revealed

Cybersecurity - passwords 900
January 7, 2018
KEYWORDS cyber security / passwords
Reprints
One Comment

For the second year in a row, "123456" remained the worst password.

The list was put together by SplashData, a company that provides various password management utilities that it compiled the list by analyzing more than five million user records leaked online in 2017.

In its 2017’s Worst Passwords of the Year list, “starwars” joins the list at #16.

“Unfortunately, while the newest episode may be a fantastic addition to the Star Wars franchise, ‘starwars’ is a dangerous password to use,” said Morgan Slain, CEO of SplashData, Inc. “Hackers are using common terms from pop culture and sports to break into accounts online because they know many people are using those easy-to-remember words.”

Even with the risks well known, many millions of people continue to use weak, easily-guessable passwords to protect their online information, says SplashData. For the fourth consecutive year, “123456” and “password” retain their top two spots on the list. Variations of each, either with extra digits on the numerical string or replacing the “o” with a “0” in “password,” comprise six of the remaining passwords on the list.

“Hackers know your tricks, and merely tweaking an easily guessable password does not make it secure,” says Slain. “Our hope is that our Worst Passwords of the Year list will cause people to take steps to protect themselves online.”

For the second year in a row, football is the only sport to crack the Top 25 -- though it dropped four spots on this year’s list to the #9 spot.

The “loveme” password has been replaced on this year’s list with “iloveyou.” Other new appearances on the list include "letmein", "monkey", “hello”, “freedom”, “whatever” and “trustno1.” One other new entry is “qazwsx” from the two left columns on standard keyboards – demonstrating the importance of avoiding simple patterns.

According to SplashData, the over five million leaked passwords evaluated for the 2017 list were mostly held by users in North America and Western Europe. Passwords leaked from hacks of adult websites and from the Yahoo email breach were not included in the report.

SplashData’s “Worst Passwords of 2017”:

1 - 123456 (rank unchanged since 2016 list)
2 - password (unchanged)
3 - 12345678 (up 1)
4 - qwerty (Up 2)
5 - 12345 (Down 2)
6 - 123456789 (New)
7 - letmein (New)
8 - 1234567 (Unchanged)
9 - football (Down 4)
10 - iloveyou (New)
11 - admin (Up 4)
12 - welcome (Unchanged)
13 - monkey (New)
14 - login (Down 3)
15 - abc123 (Down 1)
16 - starwars (New)
17 - 123123 (New)
18 - dragon (Up 1)
19 - passw0rd (Down 1)
20 - master (Up 1)
21 - hello (New)
22 - freedom (New)
23 - whatever (New)
24 - qazwsx (New)
25 - trustno1 (New)

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2017/12/prweb15029008.htm

Subscribe to Security Magazine

Related Articles

The Worst Passwords of 2018

The 25 Worst Passwords of 2015

Related Products

The Database Hacker's Handbook: Defending Database Servers

You must login or register in order to post a comment.

Report Abusive Comment

Subscribe For Free!
  • Print & Digital Edition Subscriptions
  • Security eNewsletter & Other eNews Alerts
  • Online Registration
  • Mobile App
  • Subscription Customer Service

More Videos

Popular Stories

cybersecurity breach

The Top 12 Data Breaches of 2019

ransomware-enews

British American Tobacco Suffers Data Breach and Ransomware Attack

Dispelling the Dangerous Myth of Data Breach Fatigue; cyber security news

Major Retailer Macy's Is Hacked

server room, cybersecurity, penetration testing,

Explained: Firewalls, Vulnerability Scans and Penetration Tests

cyber network

How to Achieve Cybersecurity with Patience, Love and Bribery

SEC2019_Everbridge_1119_360x184customcontent

Events

December 17, 2019

Conducting a Workplace Violence Threat Analysis and Developing a Response Plan

There are few situations a security professional will face that is more serious than a potential workplace violence threat. Every security professional knows and understands that all employers have a legal, ethical and moral duty to take reasonable steps to prevent and respond to threats of violence in their workplace.
January 23, 2020

The Value of a Unified Approach to Critical Event Management

From extreme weather to cyberattacks to workplace violence, every organization will experience at least one, if not multiple, critical events per year. And in today’s interconnected digital and physical world, the cascading safety, brand, and revenue impacts of critical events are more severe.
View All Submit An Event

Poll

Emergency Communications

What does your enterprise use to communicate emergencies to company employees?
View Results Poll Archive

Products

Effective Security Management, 6th Edition

Effective Security Management, 6th Edition

 Effective Security Management, 5e, teaches practicing security professionals how to build their careers by mastering the fundamentals of good management. Charles Sennewald brings a time-tested blend of common sense, wisdom, and humor to this bestselling introduction to workplace dynamics. 

See More Products
SEC500_250x180 clear

Security Magazine

SEC-December-2019-Cover_144px

2019 December

This month, Security magazine brings you the 2019 Guarding Report, featuring David Komendat, Boeing CSO, and many other public safety leaders to discuss threats and solutions for 2020 and security officer training. Also, we highlight Hector Rodriguez, Director of Public Safety and Security at Marymount California University, CCPA regulations, NIST standards, VMS and much more.

View More Create Account
  • More
    • Market Research
    • Custom Content & Marketing Services
    • Security Group
    • Editorial Guidelines
    • Privacy Policy
    • Survey And Sample
  • Want More
    • Subscribe
    • Connect
    • Partners

Copyright ©2019. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing