Australians Are Really Terrible At Passwords

It’s World Password Day this Thursday! Do you know what that means? That’s right, it’s that time of year when we get to discover just how truly awful we are at the whole password thing.

Oh, and how to improve, of course.

Image: Shutterstock

With an average of 26 different personal and business-related accounts that require a password, 33 per cent of Australians forget one of them every single week. Even though “Password” is still the most common password. C’mon guys, this has to stop. We can do so much better than this.

When it comes to maximising our online security we fare even worse, with 68 per cent of Australians not knowing what multi-factor authentication is. It’s important, that’s what it is. Here’s some info. Use it, tell your friends, tell your Mum.

But maybe don’t tell your Mum your password. 20 per cent of Australians surveyed have regretted sharing a password with a family member or friend in the past.

What I think it all comes down to is the need for an easier solution. It’s pretty easy to be overwhelmed by a huge amount of passwords, after all! 53 per cent of Australians would prefer to use thumbprint recognition and 20 per cent would prefer to use an eye scanner to login into their accounts instead of the traditional password. So perhaps, in the future, we may not suck as badly.

In the meantime, though, there are a number of steps we can take to make our online lives more secure.

  • Check the strength of your passwords
  • Use unique passwords for every account
  • Change your passwords regularly
  • Stop using one word passwords
  • Lock your mobile with a PIN or password
  • Let a manager memorise your passwords
  • Enable multi-factor authentication

“Individuals need to prioritise their digital safety and security by using services such as password managers and multi-factor authentication,” says Melanie Duca from Intel Security, who conducted the survey. “These tools are there to help with the daily challenge of trying to remember several passwords.”

We can do it, Australia. Let’s educate each other and make next year’s report a glowing one.


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