Staying safe online has never been so important. Last year, 17 million UK residents fell victim to cybercrime1 and with the number of websites, apps, and social accounts continuing to grow, it can be difficult to remember individual passwords for them all.
Mobile phone insurance provider, Insurance2go, polled the British public to find out how safe and secure their passwords are, and who they are trusting with these vital pieces of information.
When it comes to keeping online passwords private, half (50%) of the nation confessed to sharing at least one password with someone else, putting their online logins at risk. A fifth (21%) admitted to trusting a family member with their log in details however, only 15% confessed to sharing a password with a partner.
When it comes to sharing logins, the top three people Brits are trusting with their passwords are:
A family member(s) (21%)
A partner(s) (15%)
A colleague (9%)
The insight also reveals that 11 million Brits*, that’s 21% of the nation, only use between one to three password variations for all their online accounts or profiles, 8% use the same password for everything and over a quarter (28%) use between four to six.
Aaron Nolan, Cybersecurity specialist from Spector said: “Password Security is a fundamental matter, and that should not be taken lightly. Over 80% of hacking-related incidents use either weak or stolen passwords, so this is often one of the first things a Cyber Criminal will try to use against you.
“Having a similar password for your accounts and sharing it with others is not a wise choice. If a criminal is targeting you, and they discover one password, they’ll easily be able to guess the others, so make sure to have a substantial difference between each one you use, and don’t share them all with others. The easiest way to go about it is to use a tool like a password manager, which will facilitate the task of remembering all of them.”
Gary Beeston, Sales and Marketing Director, said: “Browsing the internet is an everyday occurrence for many of us and the need to create logins for different websites and accounts is becoming increasingly popular. From your online bank account to your social media pages, it’s important to make sure you have a strong password which doesn’t leave you open to cybercriminals who are after your personal information.
“We advise that you never share your online passwords with others, but if needed, keep a hidden notepad away from your computer with password hints that only yourself or immediate family would be able to guess in case of emergency.”
For tips and tricks on how to keep your online accounts secure please visit:
https://www.insurance2go.co.uk/media-centre/top-password-tips-ahead-of-national-password-day/
