Protecting all of your accounts with passwords is vital because of the fact that this is the sort of thing that could potentially end up keeping you safe from hackers. Most experts agree that users need to come up with unique passwords for each and every one of their accounts, but in spite of the fact that this is the case a recent study has shown that so many passwords is causing a loss of productivity and contributing to a phenomenon known as password fatigue.
The research was conducted by Beyond Identity, and it involved surveying over 1,000 Americans or 1,046 to be precise. With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that 39% of the people who responded to this survey claimed that they are suffering from some form of password fatigue, namely when it comes to keeping track of all of their various pass phrases in a secure enough manner.
One of the worst implications of password fatigue is that it might make users reuse some of their passwords which can really reduce their cybersecurity. 82% of the group that stated that they are experiencing password fatigue reported reusing passwords, and the number among those that are not going through password fatigue was only 54% with all things having been considered and taken into account.
There is also a financial aspect to this data, with companies losing nearly $500 per year for each employee that is fatigued by their password requirements. This mostly comes from reduced productivity, so we might need to come up with alternatives since this methodology is becoming too costly to stick with in the long run.
Interestingly, people suffering from password fatigue were also found to be a lot more susceptible to various forms of breaches as well as other kinds of cyberattacks. As many as 62% of people who are going through password fatigue reported having their accounts breached in the recent past, and just 29% of non-password fatigue reporting survey participants said the same so there is clearly a lot that can be gained by switching things up somewhat.
Another thing to note about this data is that members of the younger demographics were far more likely to experience password fatigue that occurs when you have too many passwords that you need to keep in mind. 52% of Gen Z respondents reported experiencing something like this, and the proportion gets lower as the demographics get older with 40% of Millennials, 34% of Gen X and just 29% of baby boomers reporting the same.
Only 10% of respondents reported low levels of password fatigue, and just 3% said that they are not experiencing it at all. Password fatigue is impacting financial health for 75% of participants, and it is also a serious drain on mental health for 78% of survey participants.
It will be important to come up with added layers of security that can make unique passwords less important than might have been the case otherwise. Making too many accounts might be a culprit to tackle, with many people suffering password fatigue making at least one account on a weekly basis which is excessive.
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The research was conducted by Beyond Identity, and it involved surveying over 1,000 Americans or 1,046 to be precise. With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that 39% of the people who responded to this survey claimed that they are suffering from some form of password fatigue, namely when it comes to keeping track of all of their various pass phrases in a secure enough manner.
One of the worst implications of password fatigue is that it might make users reuse some of their passwords which can really reduce their cybersecurity. 82% of the group that stated that they are experiencing password fatigue reported reusing passwords, and the number among those that are not going through password fatigue was only 54% with all things having been considered and taken into account.
There is also a financial aspect to this data, with companies losing nearly $500 per year for each employee that is fatigued by their password requirements. This mostly comes from reduced productivity, so we might need to come up with alternatives since this methodology is becoming too costly to stick with in the long run.
Interestingly, people suffering from password fatigue were also found to be a lot more susceptible to various forms of breaches as well as other kinds of cyberattacks. As many as 62% of people who are going through password fatigue reported having their accounts breached in the recent past, and just 29% of non-password fatigue reporting survey participants said the same so there is clearly a lot that can be gained by switching things up somewhat.
Another thing to note about this data is that members of the younger demographics were far more likely to experience password fatigue that occurs when you have too many passwords that you need to keep in mind. 52% of Gen Z respondents reported experiencing something like this, and the proportion gets lower as the demographics get older with 40% of Millennials, 34% of Gen X and just 29% of baby boomers reporting the same.
Only 10% of respondents reported low levels of password fatigue, and just 3% said that they are not experiencing it at all. Password fatigue is impacting financial health for 75% of participants, and it is also a serious drain on mental health for 78% of survey participants.
It will be important to come up with added layers of security that can make unique passwords less important than might have been the case otherwise. Making too many accounts might be a culprit to tackle, with many people suffering password fatigue making at least one account on a weekly basis which is excessive.
