--- title: Worst Passwords description: As usual, way too many people are still using bad passwords like "password" and "123456," making them easy victims of hacking. canonical: https://time.com/4639791/worst-passwords-2016/ author: Raisa Bruner article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-01-23T05:12:53.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T08:02:53.908Z og:title: The 25 Worst Passwords You Should Never Use og:description: If you're still using "password," it's definitely time to make a change. og:url: https://time.com/4639791/worst-passwords-2016/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf493e1b97272978a/6988b63b656a3f06c2bce72a/password-stock.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 4754 og:image:height: 2674 og:image:alt: Password Icon og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: The 25 Worst Passwords You Should Never Use twitter:description: If you're still using "password," it's definitely time to make a change. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltf493e1b97272978a/6988b63b656a3f06c2bce72a/password-stock.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 video:duration: 01:53 video:published: 2015-08-24 section: tech topics: biometrics, passwords, fingerprint scanning, facial recognition, eye scanning, digital security, identity theft, two-factor authentication, mobile phone security, banking security genre: explainer, tech news tones: casual, informative, skeptical, conversational emotions: curiosity (medium), concern (low), amusement (low) sentiment: neutral audience: general consumers, tech enthusiasts, security-minded users, banking customers people: Alex Fitzpatrick organizations: TIME, HTC, Apple, Samsung, Microsoft products: Windows 10, iPhone, Samsung phones, HTC phone, Twitter transcript_source: publisher captions transcript_reviewed: not applicable ---  # The 25 Worst Passwords You Should Never Use > Sponsored content. 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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=ddf6b594-a8f1-45a2-98d0-b6a38cdad8f2&cr=time-nl-loop-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Tech Time: Is Face Scanning the Future of Security? [Watch (HLS stream): Tech Time: Is Face Scanning the Future of Security?](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/kCXAmgKD.m3u8) (1:53)  _Published 2015-08-24. Using Biometrics, some companies are making it so that you never have to remember a password again. But is it really the most secure method? TIME Tech Editor Alex Fitzpatrick weighs in._ 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 how biometrics such as fingerprints, faces and eyes can replace passwords by uniquely identifying users, and cites examples from phones, Windows 10 computers and bank ATMs. It then raises security concerns, including a report of an older HTC phone storing fingerprint scans without real protection. The segment concludes that biometrics may work best alongside passwords and that biometric software is good at preventing spoofing such as photo-based tricks. ## Key points - Biometrics identify people using unique traits such as their face, fingerprint or eyes, allowing access without remembering a password. (00:15) - Apple and Samsung phones use fingerprint scanners to access the phone, and some Windows 10 computers recognize faces to log in. (00:35) - Some banks are experimenting with ATMs that scan the eye to let customers into their bank accounts. (00:44) - Researchers found an older HTC phone stored fingerprint scans without real protection, meaning any app on the phone could access them. (00:55) - A password can be changed quickly if it is stolen, but a fingerprint cannot be replaced like a password. (01:06) - The speaker suggests biometrics may work in tandem with passwords as an extra layer of security rather than replacing them entirely. (01:18) - Concern is raised that someone could hold up a picture of a face to get into a computer. (01:30) - The video states that biometric software is pretty good at preventing this kind of trickery, making it likely where security is headed. (01:39) ## Chapters - [00:00 to 00:15] Problems with passwords. The video opens by describing how difficult and frustrating passwords are for users. - [00:15 to 00:48] How biometrics work today. Biometric identification is explained and examples are given from phones, computers and banks. - [00:48 to 01:18] Security risks of biometrics. The discussion covers the HTC fingerprint storage flaw and why biometric data cannot be changed like a password. - [01:18 to 01:53] Combining biometrics with passwords. The video suggests biometrics may complement passwords and addresses spoofing concerns. ## Key quotes - [00:05] Alex Fitzpatrick: "Look, nobody likes passwords." - [01:06] Alex Fitzpatrick: "You can't change your fingerprint like you can change a password." - [01:18] Alex Fitzpatrick: "Maybe the two should work in tandem and you'll still have to remember a password, but your eyeball scan or your fingerprint can be an extra layer of security on top of that." - [01:39] Alex Fitzpatrick: "Biometric software is pretty good at Preventing that kind of trickery" ## Questions this video answers - What is biometrics and how can it replace passwords? [00:13] - Which companies and devices currently use biometric authentication? [00:35] - Are biometrics really safer than passwords? [00:55] - Why can't a compromised fingerprint be changed like a password? [01:06] - Can biometric login be fooled by a photo of a person's face? [01:30]  by [Raisa Bruner](https://time.com/author/raisa-bruner/)  ## Raisa Bruner Jan 23, 2017 5:12 AM UTC  Password Icon Password Icon Steven Puetzer—Getty Images  by [Raisa Bruner](https://time.com/author/raisa-bruner/)  ## Raisa Bruner Jan 23, 2017 5:12 AM UTC If all the recent news of hacking has you concerned about [digital breaches](http://time.com/time-person-of-the-year-2016-hackers-runner-up/?iid=sr-link1), consider these passwords you probably should steer clear of. SplashData released its annual list of the 25 worst passwords. The password management provider releases the repeat offenders culled from more than five million passwords leaked over the year, mostly in North America and Western Europe. The usual suspects listed below made up more than 10% of the survey, and 4% were “123456.” That makes the string of numbers officially the worst password of 2016, according to their findings, meaning it’s the easiest to guess and easiest to breach. Reportedly, [Even John Podesta](http://time.com/4308369/hillary-clinton-john-podesta/?iid=sr-link1), Hillary Clinton’s campaign chairman, made himself an ideal target by using their second worst password, simply the word “password.” [As seen](http://time.com/3672431/worst-passwords/?iid=sr-link2') [year in](http://newsfeed.time.com/2014/01/20/the-25-worst-passwords-of-2013/?iid=sr-link3) and [year out](http://techland.time.com/2012/10/25/these-are-the-25-worst-passwords-of-2012/?iid=sr-link4), “123456,” “password,” and variations on those themes are the biggest culprits; 17 of these super-obvious codes also popped up [on the 2015 list](http://time.com/4180863/25-worst-passwords-2015/?iid=sr-link1). “Football” and “princess” are more popular now than ever, while newcomers to the penalty box include terms like “hottie,” “flower,” “sunshine,” and “loveme.” And if you’re wondering about the weirdest popular password on this list—”zaq1zaq1″—that’s just the series of keys on the left column of the keyboard. “Making minor modifications to an easily guessable password does not make it secure, and hackers will take advantage of these tendencies,” said Morgan Slain, CEO of SplashData, Inc. [To protect yourself](http://techland.time.com/2011/06/29/two-minute-video-how-to-create-strong-online-passwords/?iid=sr-link3), make sure your passwords have more than eight characters, combine letters and numbers, and definitely don’t resign yourself to simple or repeating patterns. Worried about forgetting? There’s an [app for that.](http://www.splashdata.com/) Here’s the full list of 25 worst passwords for 2016: * 123456 * password * 12345 * 12345678 * football * qwerty * 1234567890 * 1234567 * princess * 1234 * login * welcome * solo * abc123 * admin * 121212 * flower * passw0rd * dragon * sunshine * master * hottie * loveme * zaq1zaq1 * password1 ## Transcript [00:00] [ SOUND ] [00:05] Look, nobody likes passwords. They're hard to [00:07] remember, you forget them all the time. You have to [00:10] ask companies to send you new ones, it's a total pain. [00:13] But what if your face, your fingerprints, or even your [00:15] eyes could replace passwords entirely. Using [00:17] something called biometrics, a lot of companies are [00:19] already doing Companies can identify you by your [00:23] face, your fingerprint, your eyes, basically anything that [00:25] you have that other people don't, it's unique to you. [00:27] And that can let you get into your bank account, your [00:30] computer, your phone, all without remembering a [00:32] password at all. Lots of popular companies are trying [00:35] biometrics. Apple and Samsung phones have [00:37] fingerprint scanners that let you access your phone. [00:40] Some Windows 10 computers can recognize your face [00:42] so you don't have to enter in a password at all. And [00:44] even some banks are experimenting with ATMs that [00:46] scan your eye and lets you get into your bank account. [00:48] Isn't that all better than remembering cupcake start [00:51] 82? But are biometrics really safer then passwords? [00:55] Researchers recently found that an older HTC phone [00:58] was storing fingerprint scans without any real [01:00] protection at all, meaning any app on that phone could [01:03] access your fingerprint scan and do whatever with it [01:06] That's not good. You can't change your fingerprint like [01:08] you can change a password. If somebody happens to [01:10] learn my Twitter password, I can go and change it [01:13] really quickly. But I can't just burn off my thumbprint [01:16] and get a new one. That would really hurt and I don't [01:18] wanna do that. Ultimately maybe biometrics shouldn't [01:20] replace passwords entirely. Maybe the two should [01:23] work in tandem and you'll still have to remember a [01:24] password, but your eyeball scan or your fingerprint [01:27] can be an extra layer of security on top of that. So will [01:30] biometrics create a whole new way of stealing your [01:32] identity? It sounds really suspicious. If I can log into my [01:35] computer with my face, what's stopping someone from [01:37] holding up a picture of my face and getting into my [01:39] computer? Well, it turns out biometric software is pretty [01:42] good at Preventing that kind of trickery, and that [01:45] means it's probably where were headed for the future [01:46] of security. [ MUSIC ] Cool. 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