Poles love the method of securing all their devices and accounts with one password – according to the Credit Information Bureau. – One password for everything carries a great risk of compromising information security – warns Andrzej Karpiński, head of security of the BIK Group.
From the latest study of the Credit Information Bureau entitled: “Device and login security” shows that every tenth Pole uses one common password for all their devices, applications and online accounts.
Only 46 percent Poles are aware of the need to use multiple passwords when logging in, e.g. to online stores or streaming platforms.
– If one password is stolen, cybercriminals can gain access to many accounts at the same time – says Andrzej Karpiński, head of security of the BIK Group. – If we use one password for all our accounts, we violate the principle of cybersecurity – he adds.
Online safety rules. A unique password is essential
Karpiński, quoted in the BIK information, emphasized that unique passwords for each system are the “first line” of protection against data loss. He also warned that obtaining data from places such as a Facebook profile or e-mail allows you to collect information that may result in impersonating someone's identity in an office or bank.
The authors of the study pointed out that the use of long passwords has a positive impact on security, which is also confirmed by the respondents – 56% of them think so. subjects. 18 percent respondents also drew attention to the need to systematically change passwords, and 8 percent – on the effectiveness of the password generator.
Long password instead of changing it frequently
Andrzej Karpiński pointed out that the practice of frequently changing passwords is now being abandoned, focusing on their length and complexity.
– The length of the password causes a certain amount of computing power needed to check all possible password combinations. Given modern computers and their computing power, it is assumed that 12-13 character passwords are the absolute minimum, and shorter ones – the computer can crack in fractions of seconds – said the expert.
If you are concerned about the difficulty of remembering a long and complicated password, he recommends using nursery rhymes or song lyrics, preferably with an error or a special character that will be known only to us.
The BIK survey was conducted using the CAWI method on a sample of 1,090 people over 18 years of age in April 2024.
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