One way to help lower personal and business cyber risk is to avoid using easy-to-crack passwords. SplashData, a password management application maker, recently compiled a list of the 25 worst passwords for the year 2011.

 

The research results were based on millions of actually stolen passwords that were made available online.

Having tough-to-guess passwords may not necessarily deter sophisticated, determined hackers. But they do make it much more difficult for amateur cyber thieves to breach online accounts. Here is the list of this year’s worst online passwords.

1. password

2. 123456

3. 12345678

4. qwerty

5. abc123

6. monkey

7. 1234567

8. letmein

9. trustno1

10. dragon

11. baseball

12. 111111

13. iloveyou

14. master

15. sunshine

16. ashley

17. bailey

18. passw0rd

19. shadow

20. 123123

21. 654321

22. superman

23. qazwsx

24. michael

25. football

Want to Reduce Cyber Risk? Avoid These 25 Worst Passwords of 2011.