Annual list of worst computer passwords released

NEW YORK

New data on the most common internet passwords is out, and it shows who is the most at risk for a security breach.

The annual list, called "worst passwords of 2012," was compiled from information posted online by hackers. The top three should come as no surprise.

"Password," "1-2-3-4-5-6" and "1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8" all secured the same spots on last year's list, according to software security developer SplashData. "A-b-c-1-2-3" and "qwerty" rounded out the top five.

Others lacked just as much creativity, such as "let-me-in." And there were some odd ones, like "monkey" and "baseball." "Welcome" made the list for the first time.

SplashData says hacking tools are more sophisticated than ever, but hackers will still seek out the easiest targets, like weak passwords.

This year, some high profile sites like LinkedIn and EHarmony were hacked.

Experts say to keep your password safe, create passwords of eight or more mixed characters. And avoid using the same password for multiple websites.

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