From the French presidential election to Gmail, a number of incidents have unfolded this year revealing how vulnerable our online security is. That’s why it’s more important than ever to make sure you go above and beyond to secure your digital privacy. And that can be as simple as changing your password every once in awhile.
Related: 8 Steps to Creating Stronger Passwords
Software company Digital Guardian recently surveyed 1,000 people to uncover their password security habits. The good news? Overall, the company found that internet users’ password habits were improving. Although with the amount of password-protected accounts people have today, being savvy about your security can be difficult. Around 42 percent of respondents reported having more than 10 password-protected accounts, with nearly 29 percent saying they were unsure or had “too many to count.”
So how do most people remember all of these passwords? Thirty-nine percent of participants say they write them down on a piece of paper, while 28 percent use a secure password manager such as LastPass and Password Boss. Unfortunately, 18 percent say they reuse the same passwords, which can be risky and make accounts more susceptible to hackers.
Related: 5 Cybersecurity Tools Your Company Should Have
Thankfully, many people are switching up their passwords on a regular basis -- a great privacy habit to cultivate. In fact, a total of 70 percent of those surveyed say they change their password at least once a year. And of these, 40 percent change it three or more times in a given year. Not only that, but most users are also creating complex passwords. Over half of survey participants create tricky passwords that are a combination of upper and lower case letters, numbers and special characters.
Not sure where you stand? Check out the infographic below to find out.
Rose Leadem
Rose Leadem is an online editorial assistant at Entrepreneur Media Inc.
Read more
Virtual-reality arcades offer a way for entrepreneurs to become early adopters in a tech industry poised for exponential growth.
The White House claims Trump's tweets are an official response to a federal committee's inquiry.
The Netgear Arlo Pro is the best Wi-Fi home security camera, delivering an excellent image, clear two-way audio, practical smart-home integration, and seven days of free cloud storage.
Bad habits are terribly persistent, until you learn where the weak links are.
A hacker broke into systems for the 'US operating region' and stole sensitive user data
Relax Are Your Password Security Habits Improving? (Infographic) stories
Virtual-reality arcades offer a way for entrepreneurs to become early adopters in a tech industry poised for exponential growth.
From Stanford to Carnegie Mellon, if you dream of working in tech, going to one of these schools could increase your chances.
"Smart" homes these days means safe homes, in terms of security and health. The IoT opportunities are out there. Are you game?
If your Android-powered phone or tablet is lost or stolen, follow these steps to set up the Android Device Manager now.
Reach your audience effectively without compromising quality.
Forget about self-driving cars for a moment -- can one of these affordable gadgets make an impact on your daily life now?
With the right skills and some hustle, freelancing pays like a full time job.
AT&T, Verizon Wireless and other carriers will start to launch 5G networks this year. But what exactly is 5G? Here's what we know so far.
How digital, international currency makes business easier than ever.
Limiting your user base limits the damage of your mistakes and turns users into brand evangelists.
Operational since 2012, the botnet was the brainchild of one of the world's most notorious cyber criminals, who was arrested in Spain last week.
Biometric security such as fingerprint scanning or facial recognition can't be changed, lip motion passwords are biometric authentication that can.
Let's be honest, that's a surprise to no one.
Trains in Sydney are sniffing out graffiti vandals and catching them in the act using a new electronic nose.
Neural networks are currently being tasked with everything from adding animations to video games to reproducing images taken from MRI scans. Training the AI, wh...
SpaceX caps a great weekend with an Iridium-2 launch and rough sea landing.
Time to achieve your goals. It's the Morning After.
Content development is an art.
Goop-recommended Body Vibes' 'healing body stickers' that are supposedly made of NASA spacesuit material -- except they're not, and the agency called them out.
Virtual-reality arcades offer a way for entrepreneurs to become early adopters in a tech industry poised for exponential growth.
Everyone is a data breach target these days. In this article, we offer five examples of how not to respond to a cyberattack.
Tumblr says its 'Explicit' tag for blogs is the main reason why safe-for-work posts get filtered in Safe Mode.
The Maytag M400 Speed Heat Iron and Vertical Steamer is affordable, lightweight and easy to use.
