Having a secure password is the goal of every user, but there are many who still use their own or their dog’s name as their security key
When signing up for a new online service, the hardest part is choosing a password. Words that are too simple are not accepted by most platforms and are easily guessed by hackers. If there are thousands of breaches or attempted breaches every year, it’s largely due to users choosing their dog’s name or the “qwerty” combination (the most used password in the world, according to the latest available data) as their security keys.
Choosing between an easy password and a complex password is always very complicated. Many people prefer the former: they are easier to remember and allow immediate access to online services. In recent years, however, more and more users are opting for a complex password: although difficult to remember, it is much more secure and the tools used by hackers to decipher the security key are practically useless.
Kaspersky, a company specializing in computer security solutions, has carried out research in recent months to discover the habits of users when it comes to choosing a password. The results are very interesting and photograph a particular situation: users are looking for a solution that combines the security of complex passwords with the ease of use of simple to remember keys. And this solution has only one name: password manager.
Kaspersky research results
Usersers are aware of the need to use a complex password, especially for certain types of online services: bank accounts (63%); payment applications, including e-wallets (43%); online shopping platforms (41%). At the same time, nearly 40% of users have difficulty remembering difficult passwords and are forced to do resets. Another issue surrounding long passwords is the method of storage: 51% say they use insecure strategies, while 23% write them down on a notepad.
Hackers on the attack
Many of those surveyed also report an increase in hacker activity. 17% have faced a breach of their account: those most targeted are email profiles (41%), social networks (37%), bank accounts (18%) and online shopping (18%). Hackers target especially users who use the same password for all online accounts (they are 10% of respondents).
How to solve the dilemma between simple passwords vs. complex passwords
To protect your online profiles the only choice is to create complex passwords. Even better if they are passphrases. Logically you have the problem of remembering such long security keys, but there is a very simple solution to use: password managers. These are programs and applications that store all the access credentials of the services you subscribe to and use encryption to protect them from hacker attacks. Most password managers are free and can be downloaded directly from the internet.