There might be no better indicator of the vigilance required to live in the modern world than the existence of World Password Day. If Hallmark hasn’t yet made cards for the occasion that falls annually each May, it is nevertheless worth noting.
The more we exist online, the more we need to strive to protect our privacy. In short, we require stronger passwords. The issue hit the headlines again this week with the reporting of some concerning results from a recent survey conducted by consumer group Which?
It found that cases of banking fraud in the first half of 2021 were up by 97 per cent. And the research suggested that high street banks should shoulder at least some of the blame, as far too many were too weak in security protection. Six banks even let customers choose passwords that included their own names.
The research looked at online and mobile app security for 15 of the largest current accounts. Metro Bank offered the least online safety, Which? found, closely followed by Virgin Money and TSB, while HSBC was deemed the safest.
But if our banks need to be more aware of this clear and present danger, then so too do we, as individuals. Yet most of us don’t think particularly long and hard when it comes to setting up our passwords. We tend to have just the one, and use it repeatedly. When fraudsters find it, then abracadabra: they possess the keys to our kingdoms.
In 2021, the favourite go-to passwords included “111111” and “123456”, while for those who did want…
