Your company’s data is a target in this age of hacking and cyber-terrorism, and it doesn’t take much for a hacker to break into a network and cause havoc. Because the stakes are so high, password security is something that should be addressed carefully.
- In the previous 12 months, 92% of businesses were subjected to a cyberattack.
- 65% of businesses relaxed their cybersecurity policies during the pandemic.
- 571,107 accounts in the UK use the password ‘123456’.
- The second most common password used in the UK is ‘password’.
- It took <1 second to crack 9 of the top 10 most used passwords.
- 29% of adults rotate between 5 and 10 different passwords.
If IT security is your responsibility, you can’t afford to ignore it! Weak passwords and inadequate password security can effectively open the door to cyber-criminals. In the sometimes complex area of IT security, it’s also one of the easiest issues to fix.
The Use of Biometrics
The standard password will become considerably less tempting to consumers and businesses alike as biometrics continues to gain popularity as a convenient and safe means of automatic user recognition. Furthermore, biometrics technology is improving, thanks to improved sensor technology and the application of AI-based matching algorithms. This improves the security model while also improving the user experience.
According to the Dell Technologies Biometric Usage Study, roughly 80% of employees who have access to PCs with biometric security utilise the function, while 64% of employees who don’t have access to these capabilities say they would use them if they were accessible.
Biometrics & Multi-Factor Authentication
Biometrics is the most difficult to recreate of the three possible authentication factors: something you know (your password/PIN), something you have (your device or security token), and something you are (biometrics) (your fingerprint or face). The most challenging scenario for a cybercriminal to recreate is when authentication is linked to a user’s biometric match. Following the completion of local authentication, a secure digital certificate is issued to the website or service for user authorisation.
The IT specialists over at ERS IT Solutions have created an infographic entitled ‘Security After Passwords: Decrypting The End Of An Era’ which takes a deep dive into how passwords will change in the future with biometrics and multi-factor authentication and if they will adapt with the times or be left behind.
