Americans and Brits password survey

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Elaine M. Newton" <enewton () andrew cmu edu>
Date: May 6, 2005 2:06:00 PM EDT
To: David Farber <dave () farber net>
Cc: Ip <ip () v2 listbox com>
Subject: Americans and Brits password survey



For IP list too, if you wish:

FROM THE WIRES NEWS



Americans are pants at password security

By John Leyden, The Register May 6 2005 8:22AM


Americans are just as blas about password security as the Brits,  
according to a new survey. Two out three three people (180 of 272)  
approached in a downtown San Francisco street by researchers were  
happy to provide their password in exchange for a coffee gift card.  
Of those respondents that declined offering their actual password, 51  
provided a clue about their password in exchange for a $3 Starbucks  
gift voucher.

Only 41 of those quizzed (or 15 per cent) on San Francisco[s Market  
Street refused to hand over the goodies. Whether these people were  
adverse to either Starbucks or coffee remains a mystery. It's also  
possible that people told researchers fibs just to get a freebie, of  
course, but the suspicion remains that many people are prepared to  
hand over their password on a whim. Several respondents were so  
enticed by the allure of a $3 coffee card that they gave away their  
password and then mentioned to surveyors that they would change their  
password as soon as returning to their computer.

Similar UK surveys have found that around 70 per cent of UK workers  
were happy to hand over their password in exchange for a Marks &  
Spencer's Easter Egg. VeriSign - which sponsored the US survey -  
admitted it was light-hearted and unscientific. Nonetheless it  
reckons its poll illustrates real challenges about password management.

Of all respondents, 57 per cent reported having four or more  
passwords, and 79 per cent reported using the same password for  
multiple websites or applications, a practice that means one stolen  
password could jeopardise multiple accounts.

The survey also found that some people continue to store passwords on  
Post-it notes. Other popular locations for passwords include the  
contacts folder of email applications, on PDAs and in the notes  
function of a mobile phone.

VeriSign spins its survey findings to illustrate that more secure  
forms of user authentication are needed to protect against digital ID  
theft, such as two-factor authentication products from the likes of  
VeriSign. Well it had to get a plug in there somehow.

The survey was published yesterday in the run up to the Digital ID  
World conference in San Francisco next week (9-12 May).




 2000 - 2004 Situation Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.



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