Yet more proof that passwords suck. Kaspersky Lab has published new data that reinforce the fact that passwords suck. Kaspersky found that Internet users around the world have bad password habits. Most users have not mastered how to use passwords effectively to protect themselves online.
The Kaspersky research has shown that people are putting their online safety at risk by making bad password decisions and simple password mistakes that may have far-reaching consequences. The research outlined in Networks Asia unearthed three common bad password habits that are putting many Internet users at risk. Internet users:
Common bad password habits
- Use the same password for multiple accounts, meaning that if one password is leaked, several accounts can be hacked.
- Use weak passwords that are easy to crack.
- Store their passwords insecurely, defeating the point of having passwords at all.
Andrei Mochola, Head of Consumer Business at Kaspersky Lab said, “Considering the amount of private and sensitive information that we store online today, people should be taking better care to protect themselves with effective password protection.”
Password research
- 10% of people use the same password for all their online accounts. Should one password be leaked, these people are at risk of having every account
hacked and exploited. - 18% have faced an account hacking attempt but few have effective and cyber-savvy password security in place.
- Only 30% of Internet users create new passwords for different online accounts
Additionally, Kaspersky found that people are not creating passwords that are strong enough to protect them from hacking and extortion. Despite that users think their online banking (51%), email (39%), and online shopping accounts (37%) need strong passwords, only;
- 47% use a combination of upper and lowercase letters in their passwords,
- 64% use a mixture of letters and numbers.
Kaspersky’s Mochola observed, “This seems obvious, but many might not realize that they are falling into the trap of making simple password management mistakes. These mistakes, in turn, are effectively like leaving the front door open to emails, bank accounts, personal files, and more.”
Mistreating their passwords
According to the article, the study found that people’s bad password habits include sharing them with others and using insecure methods to remember them.
- 28% have shared a password with a close family member.
- 22% have admitted to writing their passwords down in a notepad to help remember them. Even if a password is strong, this leaves the user vulnerable because other people may see and use it.
- 11% have shared a password with friends, making it possible for passwords to be unintentionally leaked.
Mr. Mochola described good password practices, “The best passwords cannot be found in the dictionary. They are long, with upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and punctuation marks. However, with people having so many online accounts today, it’s not easy to remember a secure password for everything. Using a password management solution can help people remember and generate strong passwords to minimize the risk of account hacking online.”
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Great advice from Kaspersky, but as followers of the Bach Seat know, humans suck at passwords they use the same bad password habits here.
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Ralph Bach has been in IT long enough to know better and has blogged from his Bach Seat about IT, careers, and anything else that catches his attention since 2005. You can follow him on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. Email the Bach Seat here.