Today is the first Thursday of May and it’s time for World Password Day. This day is meant to serve as a reminder of the importance of good password hygiene.

It is a perfect opportunity to ensure we are doing all we can to manage our online login details. It’s pretty worrying, that cybercriminals can get access to all our data through our passwords. Passwords not only allow us to shop, learn, socialise online, and date, but also protect us as well. The issue of personal data security has become even more acute because, with the advent of the pandemic, many users spend more time at home, and as a result, use their devices more. According to a DoubleVerify study, daily time spent on consuming content online has doubled globally since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, from an average of 3 hours 17 minutes to 6 hours 59 minutes.

Recently Kaspersky conducted a survey “Consumer appetite versus action: The state of data privacy amid growing digital dependency” which found that 31% of all respondents had experienced some kind of infection or intrusion on their devices and more than half (53%) of them have incurred financial costs as a result of infection or intrusion. 

At the same time, another widespread concern is the safety of our online worlds. 28% of online users experienced attempts to hack their online accounts, with a large number (41%) of these people reporting that they had their social media accounts targeted. A similar number (37%) were targeted through their email account, along with 31% targeted through a cryptocurrency wallet.

Nevertheless, after 2020 and the pandemic more users are trying to follow cyber hygiene rules and monitor the strength of their passwords, as well as the security level of their devices. According to the survey, 89% of all respondents take some of the more common, but effective, personal IT security actions and put them into practice to protect their privacy and keep their personal information safe. Likewise, 37% of people use passwords to lock their files, ensuring that their data remains in their hands.

In order to help users to make their passwords stronger and safer, Kaspersky developed some simple tips. You can find them via the below links:

• How to use passwords: 10 simple rules
• Want to make the world a safer place? Start with your passwords!
• The password dilemma: simple and crackable, or strong and forgettable?