Survey reveals users sacrifice personal security in a bid to manage multiple passwords

Internet Business News, Dec 10, 2002

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A survey conducted by Internet security service provider NTA Monitor has revealed that web users are compromising personal security when it comes to the management of multiple passwords.

The Password Survey by NTA Monitor split users into three groups: 36.8% are light users with less than five passwords, 33.4% are medium users with 5 to 10 passwords and 29.8% are heavy users with more than 10 passwords.

The pressure of managing this many passwords across various web sites can lead to the user sacrificing their personal security and 49% of heavy computer users admitted to writing their password down, or storing them in a file on their PC.

NTA Monitor is calling upon the IT industry to educate users, enforce security and reduce the need for text passwords.

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