‘Password’ tops worst passwords list

‘PASSWORD’ has topped a worst passwords of 2011 list compiled by a software firm. The word beat ‘123456’ and ‘12345678’ into second and third place in the ranking from SplashData, which was derived from the millions of passwords allegedly posted online by hackers. SplashData CEO Morgan Slains said: “Hackers can easily break into many accounts just by repeatedly trying common passwords. “Even though people are encouraged to select secure, strong passwords, many people continue to choose weak, easy-to-guess ones, placing themselves at risk from fraud and identity theft.” The company has urged consumers to use passwords of longer than eight characters and to include special characters, letters and numbers. People have also been told to use different username and password combinations for different websites and to use an online password manager.