Research Shows 1 in 3 Australians Continue to Use Outdated Passwords Despite Significant Data Breaches
A Google security expert stated that an increasing number of Australians were interested in improving online security, but many did not know how to do so.
New research from Google found that one-third of Australians continue to use the same passwords for multiple online accounts, despite the high risk of being hacked. The study by market research firm YouGov surveyed 1,500 Australian adults about their online security experience.
The research revealed that 36 percent of respondents had fallen victim to password hacks, while 34 percent used the same or similar passwords across their online accounts. A quarter of the people surveyed did not change their passwords after hackers breached the databases of several major corporations in late 2022 and stole the personal information of millions of Australians. Additionally, over one in three respondents failed to take extra steps to enhance their account security.
According to Darren Bilby, Google’s infrastructure protection engineering director, many Australians are looking for ways to keep themselves safe and secure online, but lack the necessary knowledge to do so. Surprisingly, the report showed that younger generations were more clueless about how to avoid password hacks. Gen Z had the highest percentage of respondents lacking the necessary knowledge at 42 percent, followed by Millennials at 41 percent, Gen X at 39 percent, and Baby Boomers at 37 percent.
To help Australian internet users strengthen their account security, Mr. Bilby recommended a number of measures including using complex passwords for online accounts, employing a password manager application, two-factor authentication, and safe and secure web browsers that can detect malicious sites.
Additionally, it was recommended that online users could also sign up for account passkeys using biometrics or passcodes, update their software regularly, and avoid exposing sensitive information on suspicious websites.
Meanwhile, Google search data indicated a growing trend for keywords related to online security. For example, web searches for “password strength” reached an 18-year high, while those for “password manager” also hit record levels.
CCP Is A Threat to Australia’s Cybersecurity
The research comes just days after the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) released a report identifying the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) as a major backer of cyberattacks against Australian critical infrastructures and businesses.
The ASD also designated Russia as an online security threat after its Federal Security Service used the “Snake” malware for long-term intelligence collection on high-priority targets worldwide.
The cybersecurity agency explained that Australia was likely to become a target of malicious state actors due to its involvement in the AUKUS partnership, which centers on the country’s cooperation with the United States and the United Kingdom over developing nuclear submarines and other advanced military capabilities.
The ASD’s report also revealed a worrying trend of increased cybersecurity incidents across Australia. In the 2022-23 financial year, there was a 23 percent rise in cybersecurity incidents reported by Australian entities, with the total number of reports equaling a cybercrime reported every six minutes. In the business sector, enterprises saw a 14 percent increase in the cost of cybercrime. Despite the sharp increase in cyberattacks, the real picture of cybercrimes in Australia is likely much bleaker as only a small proportion of affected individuals and institutions reported incidents to authorities.
