Digital passkeys and their physical siblings may well be the future of password security, but that doesn’t mean people are embracing it en masse.
Security is a regular problem facing people, and you don’t need to take our word for it. Simply catch the news and find another scam, another breach, another hack, and another set of millions lost to cyber criminals breaking into accounts in Australia and around the rest of the world.
Anyone can accidentally and inadvertently fall for a scam, but there are some practices that can help. Taking calls with a grain of salt is certainly one side of things as is being a little suspicious over certain emails, but also having strong password security is another, particularly if there’s a risk of typing the password on a phishing site designed to look legitimate.
Unfortunately, recent research seems to suggest that modern approaches to passwords aren’t always being considered.
Ahead of Cybersecurity Awareness Month in October, Yubico has released details from Talker Research highlighting that at least half of those surveyed use a simple username and password combination to login to both personal and work accounts, even though multi-factor authentication would make the practice a lot more secure.
Throughout this, 39 percent of individuals think using a username and password by itself is the most secure method of login, even when it’s the least secure, suggesting a bit of a disconnect, or at least a lack of awareness for how password security has changed.
For the Australians taking part, a good 46 percent of those surveyed had a password compromised in the past year, with the most coming from social media or an online retailer. Frustratingly, 43 percent of Australians surveyed have been the victim of a successful cyberattack or scam, with ten percent falling for a phishing attempt.
The results paint a bleak picture of password security for most people, particularly if there’s 20,000 surveyed are meant to represent everyone else.
However, the good news is that with increased digital passkey adoption and multi-factor authentication gaining traction as a requirement, even being caught unaware may not be a limitation.
“The findings highlight the need for a holistic cybersecurity strategy that encompasses both home and work environments,” said Derek Hanson, Vice President of Standards and Alliances for Yubico.
“By integrating advanced security measures into all aspects of our digital lives, we can better protect ourselves, our data, and our organisations,” he said.
Talker’s research also paints quite the picture on training, with cybersecurity training appearing to run at a loss for many, which may account for why some of these habits remain.
“When individuals fail to secure their personal accounts, they also put their workplaces at risk,” said Hanson.
“This is why it’s crucial for enterprises to adopt a holistic approach to cybersecurity that considers the security of both work and personal environments.”
