According to recent research findings Kaspersky Lab to the consumer, about half (42%) European Internet users admit sharing their codes with someone else or leaving them exposed to a common view where other people can see them. 
This demonstrates a lack of knowledge about the digital world and can facilitate unlocking online accounts and access for digital criminals.
Asked about the importance of passwords, it was found that respondents were more likely to think that strong passwords are necessary for the online services they value most. Accordingly, with European consumers, the websites for which strong passwords are considered necessary are: 61%, 42%, and 20%. The list of the three most important applications was almost identical, with 60% considering the need for strong passwords for online banking, 38% for email, and 21% for social networking.
Consumers also believe that online purchases and payment applications require strong passwords, but they do not also evaluate their respective sites at the same level. As soon as 28% of European users think online shopping is an important service for themselves, although over one third (38%) thinks that a strong password is justified. In addition, 34% agreed that electronic payment systems need a strong password, with slightly less (27%) evaluating these services as personally valuable.
More concerning is the fact that although consumers agree that online financial transactions require a strong password, 29% believe there is no need for an additional protections for their personal login details when using these services. They expect the sites they shop on to give them all the protection they need.
Greater risks arise for the personal information. Almost a third (31%) of European internet users admit to freely sharing their passwords with family members. 42% have shared and made passwords accessible to third parties. Also, one in ten (10%) Europeans share their passwords with friends and 5% with their colleagues. Also, with more than a third (38%) of consumers using just one email for all their needs, sharing their password with others could prove costly. If that code fell into the wrong hands, it could unlock all the information stored in that email.
"Consumers need to gain more insight and become more aware of passwords. Once they are shared, it is very difficult to know where they will end up. Our research shows that there is a really unrelated relationship between our perception of why we need strong passwords and the measures that users take to keep them safe. No one would expect a friend or family member to knowingly disclose a password, but by sharing codes, consumers are increasing the risk of these codes falling into the wrong hands. This could give digital criminals easy access to personal and financial information. Also, broken accounts can be used to distribute malicious ones link και αρχείων, βλάπτοντας άλλους ανθρώπους. Στη χειρότερη περίπτωση, ολόκληρες identities they could be put at risk. Even the most complex password is weak if it is visible to others. Therefore keep him to yourself!”, comments David Emm, Her Principal Security Researcher Kaspersky Lab.
To help users maintain the integrity of their passwords, Kaspersky Password Manager (part of the Kaspersky Total Security - multi-device) provides an extra layer of protection by securely storing all passwords and syncing them across all devices. The product remembers and generates strong passwords and features automaticlogging for safer access to valuable apps, accounts and websites.
- The data comes from the survey "Consumer Security Risks 2015 (PDF)"And by an online specialist test.
