Internet Security Learning Center

The Password Gamble

Employees' password choices can put sensitive business information at risk, according to a new survey by Sophos. Only 14 percent of employees use a different password for every Web site they visit, 41 percent use the same password all the time, and 45 percent have a few passwords they use for many different sites, according to the poll. Of the system administrators surveyed, 72 percent of them believe their users pick weak, easy-to-crack passwords. "It is madness to use the same password for accessing a Web site which tells you the football results, as the one which gives you access to your online bank account," says Graham Cluley at Sophos. "If hackers manage to steal your password, and you use the same password for all Web sites, then it's giving them an open invitation to steal your identity and leave you with a large hole in your virtual wallet." Experts say companies need to do a better job of educating their employees on the risks of information loss. If employees choose unique and multiple passwords, they can help fight cybercrime personally and professionally.

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