Gen Z most overconfident in password security

Consumers of all ages all possess a false sense of the cybersecurity of their online behaviours and in the integrity of their internet passwords, according to research from LastPass.

A survey of boomers, millennials and generation Z consumers found that 62% of respondents across all ages are still always or mostly using the same or a variation of a password.

While 89% of respondents acknowledged that using the same password or variation is a risk, only 12% routinely use different passwords for different accounts.

Even among the 65% of those surveyed claiming to have received some kind of cybersecurity education, only 31% stopped reusing passwords and only 25% started using a password manager. This is despite 79% reporting that the education they received was effective.

The survey found that generation Z were both the most confident when it comes to password management and the biggest offenders in terms of poor password hygiene. While they are the most likely to create stronger passwords for social media and entertainment accounts, they still use a variation of a single password 69% of the time.

According to LastPass Chief Secure Technology Officer Christofer Hoff, the research has identified a misalignment between the goals of security education and the results.

“Our latest research showcases that even in the face of a pandemic, where we spent more time online amid rising cyber attacks, there continues to be a disconnect for people when it comes to protecting their digital lives,” he said.

“The reality is that even though nearly two-thirds of respondents have some form of cybersecurity education, it is not being put into practice for varying reasons. For both consumers and businesses, a password manager is a simple step to keep your accounts safe and secure.”

Image credit: iStock.com/Tero Vesalainen