The folks at Splashdata (as reported by Mashable) just published their "25 Worst Passwords for 2011".

SplashData CEO Morgan Slain urges businesses and consumers using any password on the list to change them immediately.

So, if your personal password to email or banking is on this list, you'd be wise to change it immediately. Anyone (hacker or novice) could get into your private life with less than 26 attempts.

As an aside, we've also come across two studies comparing the pros and cons of different passwords for each of several accounts. Given how easy it is to forget them, there is a question as to how safe they are.

Remember, the weakest link in any security scheme is usually human, rather than machine. Be wary of anyone telephoning about your computer, your email or your bank account unless you know them. When in doubt (i.e. always), take their name and ring them back on the organisation's publicly published telephone number (not the one given to you by the caller). If it's a business with which you have no direct business (i.e. one you've never paid), then odds are, it's either a salesman or a scam. In either case, beware.