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.
Also, consumers believe that online shopping and payment apps require strong passwords, but do not rate the corresponding websites at the same level. Just 28% of European users consider online shopping to be an important service for them, although over a third (38%) consider a strong code access. In addition, 34% agreed that electronic payment systems need a strong password, with slightly fewer (27%) rating these services as personally valuable.
More worrying is the fact that although consumers agree that online financial transactions require a strong password, 29% considers that there is no need for additional protection for their personal login when they use these services. They expect the sites that they shop for will provide them with all the protection they need.
Greater risks arise for personal information. Almost a third (31%) of European Internet users admit that they freely share their passwords with family members. 42% have shared and left their passwords accessible to third parties. Also, one in ten (10%) Europeans share passwords with friends and 5% with colleagues. Also, with more than a third (38%) of consumers using just one email for all their needs, sharing their password with others could be costly. If this code fell into the wrong hands, it could unlock all the information stored in this email.
"Consumers need to learn more and become more aware of passwords. Once someone shares them, it is very difficult to know where they will end up. Our research shows that there is a really unrelated relationship between the perception of why we need strong passwords and the measures users take to keep them safe. No one would expect a friend or family member to knowingly reveal a password, but by sharing passwords, consumers increase the risk of those passwords falling into the wrong hands. This could give digital criminals easy access to personal and financial information. Also, the violators accounts can be used to distribute malware link and files, harming other people. At worst, entire identities could be compromised. Even the most complex Password it is weak if it is visible to others. Therefore keep him to yourself!”, comments David Emm, Principal Security Researcher of 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 has auto-logging capabilities for more secure access to valuable apps, accounts and websites.
- The data comes from the survey "Consumer Security Risks 2015 (PDF)"And by an online specialist test.
