10 Most Common (And Super Insecure) Passwords Of 2015

Protection Needed

Despite a much higher rhetoric around the importance of strong passwords, the majority of users haven't taken the hint to be more creative about their password selection. In the roundup of most common passwords of 2015, compiled annually by SplashData, simple number combinations and single words (such as "password") reigned supreme. The study compiled more than 2 million leaked passwords to determine the top 10 most commonly used passwords of the year, the vast majority of which ignored secure password principles. However with a host of secure password management solutions on the market today, it is easier than ever to banish these security bad habits from your life. Take a look at the 10 most common, and biggest offenders, of the year.

10. baseball

Sports were a common password theme throughout the 2015 list. Despite dropping two ranks on the list from the list from 2014, "baseball" remained a popular password choice in 2015.

9. 1234567

As password length demands increase for many sites, "1234567" shot up two spots in this year’s password ranking to the No. 9 spot. With six out of 10 top spots, simple numerical passwords remained the most common theme in this year’s list.

8. 1234

Many users decided to keep their password short and sweet in 2015, with "1234" landing in the No. 8 spot. However, this type of password is very insecure, with SplashData recommending passwords should have at least 12 characters with both letters and numbers.

7. football

Football fans made a strong showing in this year’s most popular password list, raising "football" three ranks to the No. 7 spot.

6. 123456789

The longest number combination on the top 10 most popular passwords list, "123456789" landed in the No. 6 spot. However, SplashData warned that making a password simply longer, instead of more complicated, is "virtually worthless" when it comes to security.

5. 12345

The No. 5 spot is yet another example of simple, numerical passwords reigning supreme in 2015, with "12345" taking the spot. However, "12345" was down from the year before, when it took the No. 3 spot.

4. qwerty

The first non-word letter-based password on the top 10 list, "qwerty" was a popular choice in 2015, landing the No. 4 spot. However, the password isn’t any more secure than "12345," representing the first six letters on the top of the standard keyboard. Other popular similar combinations included "1qaz2wsx" (No. 15) and "qwertyuiop" (No. 22).

3. 12345678

One spot up from the year before, "12345678" landed at the No. 3 spot in 2015 for most popular passwords. While longer than some similar passwords on the list, it’s worth mentioning again that SplashData asserts that longer, but not more complex, passwords aren’t necessarily more secure than shorter ones.

2. password

Holding on to the No. 2 spot is a popular favorite for those prone to forgetting their passwords: "password". However, while it may be easy to remember, SplashData said this type of simple password is very insecure. The company recommended users embrace a password manager to help them take the pain out of remembering complex passwords.

1. 123456

Reigning supreme yet again on the most popular passwords list is "123456," which took the No. 1 spot yet again. The six-number combination represented the most popular of the numerical combinations, which makes sense as many sites require at least six characters.

Honorable Mentions

While these passwords didn’t crack the top 10 spots, they are worth an honorable mention. With the popular launch of the latest movie at the end of 2015, "Star Wars" made a strong showing in this year’s list, with "princess" (No. 21), "solo" (No. 23) and "starwars" (No. 25) making the list for the first time. Animals also were a popular choice, with "dragon" (No. 16) and "monkey" (No. 18) landing in the top 25.