--- title: Worst Passwords of 2014: SplashData List description: Make sure your password isn't on this list canonical: https://time.com/3672431/worst-passwords/ author: Olivia B. Waxman article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-01-20T05:00:26.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:48:37.510Z og:title: Worst Passwords of 2014: SplashData List og:description: Make sure your password isn't on this list og:url: https://time.com/3672431/worst-passwords/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb7590ca4690994df/698778882dce0187e09dcccd/computer-hack-typing-keyboard-2.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2560 og:image:height: 1440 og:image:alt: TIME.com stock photos Computer Keyboard Typing Hack og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Worst Passwords of 2014: SplashData List twitter:description: Make sure your password isn't on this list twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb7590ca4690994df/698778882dce0187e09dcccd/computer-hack-typing-keyboard-2.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 video:duration: 00:53 video:published: 2014-03-07 section: tech topics: password security, strong passwords, passphrases, memorization, capitalization and symbols, online security tips, weak passwords, Bruce Schneider genre: explainer, how-to tones: informative, light, practical, humorous emotions: amusement (medium), curiosity (medium), reassurance (low) sentiment: positive audience: general consumers, internet users, people seeking security tips, beginners people: Doug, Bruce Schneider transcript_source: publisher captions transcript_reviewed: not applicable ---  # These Are The 25 Worst Passwords of 2014 > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME In the Loop: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition In the Loop is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. Essential insights into the unfolding AI revolution. In the Loop makes sense of the ideas and technologies transforming how organizations operate, compete and communicate, with essential reporting, analysis, scoops and exclusive conversations. Through TIME's reporting and access to leading voices, readers get a clearer view of the developments shaping AI, technology and the rapidly changing decisions facing leaders today. 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It covers the reporting, scoops and conversations shaping AI and the decisions facing leaders. #### Where can I get reported AI news rather than commentary? In the Loop is TIME's AI newsletter, built on original reporting and access to the people building and governing AI. It publishes Tuesdays and Fridays and is free at time.com/newsletters. #### Who writes TIME's In the Loop? Harry Booth, a tech reporter at TIME, writes In the Loop. #### Is In the Loop free? Yes. In the Loop is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-loop-2026q3/newsletters?i=a16bc898-cb34-4c19-9760-2095573a5dda&cr=time-nl-loop-2026q3-v1) ## Video: How to Make a Strong Password (and Actually Remember It) [Watch (HLS stream): How to Make a Strong Password (and Actually Remember It)](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/A70BkJLi.m3u8) (0:53)  _Published 2014-03-07. Hi! I'm Doug, and I'm a 35-year-old. Do you want to dance?_ Description, summary, key points, chapters, key quotes, questions and transcript, where present, were produced automatically from the video or its captions and were not reviewed. ## Summary The video explains what experts consider a good password and why such passwords are hard to remember. It presents security expert Bruce Schneider's approach of building a password from a memorable phrase. The presenter demonstrates by taking the first character of each part of an example phrase while keeping capitalization and punctuation intact. The video cautions that even a strong password is not foolproof and warns against weak choices. ## Key points - Most security experts agree a good password combines length, uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols. (00:00) - Random sets of mixed letters, numbers and symbols are hard for human beings to remember. (00:04) - Security expert Bruce Schneider's workaround is to use an entire phrase that you will remember. (00:12) - The method takes the first instance of letters, numbers and punctuation from each part of the phrase. (00:22) - Capitalization of each part of the phrase is kept intact when building the password. (00:25) - The resulting password includes uppercase and lowercase letters, an exclamation point, a comma, hyphens, a period and a question mark. (00:30) - Even the best password in the world isn't foolproof, but this method is a good first start. (00:39) - Passwords like 'password', '1234' or your dog's name are described as ridiculous choices. (00:44) ## Chapters - [00:00 to 00:22] Strong passwords and the memory problem. Explains the traits of a good password, why they are hard to remember, and Bruce Schneider's phrase-based idea. - [00:22 to 00:39] Building a password from a phrase. Demonstrates taking the first character of each part of the example phrase while keeping capitalization and punctuation. - [00:39 to 00:53] Limits and weak password examples. Notes that no password is foolproof and warns against choices like 'password', 1234 or a dog's name. ## Key quotes - [00:00] Doug: "Most security experts would agree that a good" - [00:12] Doug: "Security expert Bruce Schneider has a good" - [00:14] Doug: "way around that, though. The idea is to use an entire" - [00:39] Doug: "it's important to point out that even the best password in" ## Questions this video answers - What makes a password good according to most security experts? [00:00] - Why are strong passwords hard for people to remember? [00:04] - What is Bruce Schneider's approach to creating a memorable password? [00:12] - How do you turn a phrase into a password? [00:22] - Is even a strong password foolproof? [00:39] - Which kinds of passwords should people avoid? [00:44]  by [Olivia B. Waxman](https://time.com/author/olivia-b-waxman/)  ## Olivia B. Waxman Staff Writer Jan 20, 2015 5:00 AM UTC  Elizabeth Renstrom for TIME  by [Olivia B. Waxman](https://time.com/author/olivia-b-waxman/)  ## Olivia B. Waxman Staff Writer Jan 20, 2015 5:00 AM UTC SplashData, which makes password management applications, has released its annual list of the 25 worst passwords based on files containing over 3.3\. million passwords leaked in 2014. “123456” and “password” hold the top two spots, as they have every year since the company started producing this round-up in 2011\. New passwords appearing on this year’s edition include “696969” and “batman.” Here is the full list: 1\. 123456 2\. password 3\. 12345 4\. 12345678 5\. qwerty 6\. 123456789 7\. 1234 8\. baseball 9\. dragon 10\. football 11\. 1234567 12\. monkey 13\. letmein 14\. abc123 15\. 111111 16\. mustang 17\. access 18\. shadow 19\. master 20\. michael 21\. superman 22\. 696969 23\. 123123 24\. batman 25\. trustno1 Cyber-security experts often say that the harder the password is for you to remember, the more secure it is. If your password is on this list, consider this smart and easy tip TIME recently received from [security expert Bruce Schneier](http://time.com/15908/best-password/): --- > “” --- **WATCH:** [How to Make a Strong Password](http://time.com/15908/best-password/) _Read next:_[_Why Your Passwords Are So Easy to Hack_](http://time.com/3643678/password-hack/?xid=time%5Freadnext) [_Listen to the most important stories of the day._](http://time.com/newsletter/the-brief/?sl%5Fautoplay=true&xid=spl-fullbrief-article) ## Transcript [00:00] Most security experts would agree that a good [00:02] password consists of length, uppercase and lowercase [00:04] letters, numbers and symbols. Only problem is it's [00:07] hard for human beings to remember random sets of [00:10] uppercase and lowercase letters, long, numbers, [00:12] symbols. Security expert Bruce Schneider has a good [00:14] way around that, though. The idea is to use an entire [00:17] phrase that you'll remember. For example, Hi, I'm [00:19] Doug, and I'm a 35- year- old. Do you want to dance? [00:22] Now we're gonna take the first instance of letters, [00:25] numbers, and punctuation. We're gonna keep [00:27] capitalization intact of each part of that phrase. Let me [00:30] look at that. We got upper case, lower case. We got an [00:32] exclamation point. We got a comma. We've got a [00:34] couple of hyphens. We've got a period. We've got a, [00:37] question marked, I mean, this is, look at that. Now, it's [00:39] important to point out that even the best password in [00:41] the world isn't foolproof, but this is a good first start, [00:44] especially if you're using something ridiculous like [00:45] password or 1234 or your dog's name. 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