التكنولوجيا وأخبارها بوابة الإمارات لتكنولوجيا المعلومات والإتصالات
Stem the leak: 80% think up their own passwords and half don’t
know how to check if they have been compromised
The latest Kaspersky report, ‘Defending digital privacy:
taking personal protection to the next level’, has found that
80% of users in the United Arab Emirates are thinking up
their own passwords, while 48% say they are unaware
about how to check if any of their credentials have already
been leaked. This highlights the need for storing passwords
more securely.
Passwords are the most common method of authentication,
but they only work if they are hard to crack and
confidential. And with an increasing number of applications
requiring them, it can be hard to come up with new ideas
for complex passwords and keep them all in your mind –
especially when users may be required to change their
passwords regularly.
In addition to this challenge of creativity for users, it’s
becoming more vital to store passwords securely and look
out for possible instances when these credentials could be leaked.
According to Kaspersky’s report, 53% of users in the United
Arab Emirates claim they remember all of their passwords –
which can be difficult if security requirements such as
password complexity and uniqueness are to be satisfied.
One in five (23%) keep them written in a file or document
stored on their computer, while 19% use the browsers on
their computers, smartphones, or tablets to store their passwords.
Methods that consumers use to store or remember their passwords
However, there are some ways to check if your password
has been leaked. For instance, services such as Have I Been
Pwned? maintain a database where users can check if their
passwords have been included in public leaks or data
breaches without visiting the sketchier parts of the web.
“Consumers can monitor the spread of personal data,
including which passwords might have been leaked. And
this is not only for the sake of “just being aware”; it also
allows individuals to take the right action to minimize any
invasion of privacy – along with any wider consequences.
That’s why we at Kaspersky put a big focus on protecting
consumer’s privacy,” comments Marina Titova, Head of
Consumer Product Marketing at Kaspersky.
To ensure the safety of personal data, Kaspersky
recommends users:
• Minimize the number of people you share account login
information with and never leave passwords where others
might find them – be it on paper or on a device. Keeping
them on sticky notes or a pad might be tempting, but it will
also be just as easy for others to access things you don’t
want them to
• Try using Kaspersky Secure Password Check. The service
allows you to check how strong your password is, and how
long it will take to crack it
• Use strong and robust passwords generated by a reliable
security solution like Kaspersky Password Manager. This
will produce secure, unique passwords for each account
every time and help you resist the temptation to re-use the
same password more than once
• Find out if any passwords used to access online accounts
have been compromised. The Account Check feature within
Kaspersky Total Security allows users to check their
accounts for potential data leaks. If one is detected, the
solution provides information about the categories of data
that may be publicly accessible so that the individual
affected can take the appropriate action
For more advice on how to keep your personal information
protected and to read the report in full, visit the link.
