eBook

Psychology of Passwords: How to Password Hygiene Reduces Your Password Security Risk

The online behavior that’s putting you at risk.

Cognitive dissonance prevails – will 2020 be the tipping point for behavior changes?

Our Psychology of Passwords report examines online security behaviors of 3,250 global respondents, and it shows that people aren’t protecting themselves from cyber security risks even though they know they should. Cognitive dissonance prevails.

  • 53% haven’t changed their password in the last 12 months even after hearing about a breach in the news.
  • 42% say that having a password that’s easy to remember is more important than one that is very secure.

As more and more people work and socialize online, protecting your digital identity is more important than ever. Unfortunately, we’ve seen a spike in hacking attempts – including malware from unvetted software downloads and an increasing number of phishing attacks.

Will this finally be the tipping point that causes people to show more concern for their online data?

This survey data serves as a benchmark to show the current state of online user behavior and will explore the good, the bad and the ugly. Read on to learn more from your peers and ensure you don’t make the same mistakes.

Survey Overview

People know what’s right, but they do the opposite

Our survey shows that most people believe they are knowledgeable about the risks of poor password security; however, they are not using that knowledge to protect themselves from cyber threats.

UPDATE: The 2021 Psychology of Passwords report is now available. Learn how the transition to remote work has increased the password security risk and influenced the improvement in password hygiene.

The 2021 Password Security Report: Outsmarting human vulnerabilities

Download the full report to learn more about

The difference in employee and employer work habits; how to improve your security and reduce your vulnerabilities; which countries rank better for security measures; how to strengthen your password protocols and habits; and more.

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