Nearly one in five PC users in the UK is making
themselves vulnerable to online fraud or identity theft because
ofpoor password habits,according to
research by Ciao Surveys.
The survey, commissioned by security technology firm McAfee,
showed that 16% of UK respondents use the same password to access
all their online accounts.
This is compounded by the fact that 41% never change their
passwords, 16% change passwords only once a year and 13% do so only
every six months.
"Around 90% of consumers are willing to spend money on
anti-virus software, but relatively few follow good password
practice, which provides security for free," said Greg Day,
security analyst at McAfee.
The survey of 3,500 European PC users also revealed that many PC
users are ignoring expert advice to use longer, more complex
alpha-numeric passwords. Some 22% of Britons are still using
passwords of less than seven characters, and 18% are still using
only letters.
The survey showed the Germans had the most secure passwords with
34% claiming to use a combination of upper and lower case letters
as well as numbers and the French the least secure, with 37% using
letters only for passwords.
"Security is a combination of technology and social awareness,
but while most people know not to share their bank card personal
identification numbers with others, the survey shows many do not
translate those same common sense factors into the IT world," said
Day.
Half of UK respondents said they registered their details online
at least once every day and 16% said they needed a password up to
30 times a day.
"The
sheer number of passwords needed means people are resorting to
using fewer and more obvious passwords, but this is a relatively
easy security problem to solve," said Day.
He said changing passwords regularly only for things like
internet banking with important data behind them, would immediately
cut the volume of passwords.
"People could also use keyboard patterns to remember passwords
or single sign on software tools to provide a single master
password, while storing multiple account passwords securely," he
said.