Amid AI Security Risks, Users Rely on Outdated Passwords

Despite known vulnerabilities, passwords remain the most trusted authentication method for personal and workplace accounts.

A report by hardware authentication key provider Yubico, based on a survey of 20,000 global respondents, reveals that 58% of people still use usernames and passwords to log into personal accounts and 54% for work accounts. Remarkably, 39% of respondents believe this method is the most secure, with 37% trusting SMS-based authentication, both of which are prone to phishing attacks.

Awareness of AI-driven attacks is high, with 72% acknowledging more sophisticated scams and 66% noting their increased success. Compromises are frequent, often targeting personal and financial data. Social media accounts face the highest risk (44%), followed by payment apps (24%), online retailers (21%), messaging apps (17%), and banking apps (13%).

However, cybersecurity training is lacking. Forty percent of employees haven't received cybersecurity training from their employer, and only 27% feel the security measures in place are sufficient. Moreover, 34% did not receive security instructions for their work accounts upon onboarding, and 41% report varying security measures based on job roles, leaving gaps for potential breaches.

Derek Hanson, Yubico's VP of standards and alliances, stresses the need for stronger, phishing-resistant authentication methods and consistent security awareness training. He advocates for a holistic cybersecurity strategy to bridge the gap between perceived and actual security by integrating advanced measures across all digital interactions.

Hanson highlights the importance of securing personal accounts to protect workplaces, emphasizing a unified defensive stance against cyber threats. To enhance individual and organizational safety, the full survey results and recommendations can be explored further on Yubico's website.

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