Psychology of Passwords: Inside Risky Online Behavior | LastPass

LastPass has released a report today – the third edition of its Psychology  of Passwords Report . The study offers a deeper look into individuals’ online behavior, with concerning results for businesses. You can find the full press release here and the report here.

Just in time for World Password Day, the study highlights the prevalence of cognitive dissonance. Whereas users say they know about and understand the increasing online cyber risks, they are not taking the steps to protect themselves:

• 91% of people know password reuse is insecure, yet 66% do it anyway whether for fear of forgetting login information (60%) or wanting to be in control of all their passwords (52%).
• 80% are concerned about their passwords being compromised. However, 48% never change their password if not required.
• 77% say they are informed of password protection best practices but, 42% believe having an easy to remember password is more important than a very secure. Concerning as well is that 54% still try to memorize passwords and 27% write them down.