Kaspersky Lab has introduced a new version of its freemium solution Kaspersky Password Manager. It offers users remote access to their passwords via their personal page on the My Kaspersky portal, automatic security verification for entered passwords, voice control and other useful features.
Account security worries Internet users more than any other area of their online lives. According to a survey, 70 per cent of respondents are aware of and concerned about account hacking – this is the highest ranking of all cyberthreats. The second and third biggest concerns are also account-related issues: password-stealing malware (69 per cent) and risks to accounts with financial information (65 per cent). When asked about the type of data that could be accessed by cybercriminals, users are also most concerned about their passwords (50 per cent). Even private photos and videos are less important, with only 24 per cent of respondents worried about these. This concern is not unfounded: according to the same survey, 18 per cent of users, i.e., almost one in five, experienced attempts by cybercriminals to hack their accounts during a 12-month period. Importantly, according to the victims themselves, accounts were most often hacked by simply guessing the password (40 per cent of cases). This comes as no surprise, however, if you consider how many users today neglect to create strong passwords and fail to store them securely. “Passwords are the first line of defence when it comes to protecting our online transactions. So it’s really important to avoid using passwords that a cybercriminal will guess easily.Of course, there’s always a trade-off between security and convenience. With complicated password rules to consider and multiple login details to remember, many of us struggle to remember their passwords. Using a password manager takes this responsibility from us and allows us to be secure without the struggle of remembering multiple, long passwords,” comments David Emm, Principal Security Researcher, Kaspersky Lab.
