Today is World Password Day and a new research piece from identity management business Auth0 has revealed some new insights into Brits’ relationships with the longstanding login method. The research, commissioned by Auth0 and YouGov, asked more than 1,200 business leaders and 8,000 consumers around the world about their expectations for online login and sign-up experiences.
According to the UK consumers surveyed, when using a new website or online service, the main frustrations are creating a password that has to meet certain requirements (53%) and having to create a new ID and password for every application or online service (47%).
In fact, Brits find password management more frustrating than their closest European neighbours. Only 44% of French and 33% of Germans find creating a password that must meet certain requirements frustrating, and 43% of French and 31% of Germans are frustrated by having to create a new ID and password for every app or online service.
This frustration, the research claims, leads to 86% of UK consumers reusing passwords for more than one account – and well over a third (41%) admitted to doing so frequently. Across the world, password reuse is rife, with nearly nine in ten consumers (88%) admitting to the practice.
“Consumers are frustrated with the standard password and username method of authentication”, said Jasmit Sagoo, Head of Solutions Engineering, International at Auth0. “As humans, we aren’t suited to remembering long, complex alphanumeric combinations, and need easier, faster and more secure forms of authentication, and it’s partly because of this that we’re seeing a rise in successful cybercrime. It’s time we consider the role of businesses in promoting a safer internet by offering safer and more convenient alternatives to passwords.”
Sagoo went on to argue that this is an opportunity for businesses to listen to their customers and make changes to the login process. Technologies such as passwordless and biometric security, he said, can offer security without adding friction to the login and sign-up process.
“We need to see technology adapt to humans, not the other way around. Passwords will inevitably make way for alternatives that are driven by the adoption of the WebAuthn standard, but businesses need to prepare for that transition now” concluded Sagoo.
The company also looked at the issue from a psychological perspective. Dr. Catarina Katzer, a leading cyber psychologist explained:
“The majority of online users are now well aware that there are security problems with using the same username and password combination to register for multiple services. But we try to suppress that psychologically in the brain. The more extensive a registration process appears, the less inclined we are to go through with it. Convenience and simplicity play a major role here, which means we need to rethink security [in a way that doesn’t compromise the customer experience].”
