Younger Generations May Be Overconfident About Cybersecurity, Survey Suggests

Younger Generations May Be Overconfident About Cybersecurity, Survey Suggests

People who belong to Generation Z may be overconfident about their online account security, suggests a recent survey commissioned by Google

  • By Jessica Davis
  • May 07, 2019

Users who belong to Generation Z (16-24-year-olds) may be overconfident about their online account security practices, suggests a recent survey commissioned by Google.

According to a recent Harris Poll, which surveyed 3,000 adults in the United States, 78 percent of Gen Z respondents said they use the same password for multiple online accounts. Of all users surveyed, 52 percent said they reused the same password for multiple (but not all) accounts, with only 13 percent reusing the same password everywhere.

Reusing a username/password combination across multiple accounts is can lead to credential stuffing, a practice in which hackers use breached username or email/password combinations to hack into accounts where the user may have recycled passwords.

"Younger users are digital natives; they don’t remember a time without smartphones," Emily Schechter, a product manager for Chrome Security at Google, told Mashable. "I think this must be super influential to how they think about technology and security."

As for Baby Boomers (those 50 years and older), only 60 percent of those users said they reused a password on multiple accounts, while 67 percent of 25-49-year-olds did the same.

Of Gen Z respondents, 71 percent said they wouldn’t fall prey to a phishing scam, but only 44 percent of respondents said they knew what the term “phishing” means. Boomers and 25 49 year-olds responded as more confident that they wouldn’t get phished, and more of them said they understood the term.

When asked about two-step verification, 76 percent of Gen Z respondents said they used it, with 25-49 year olds a close second at 74 percent. Baby Boomers came in third, with 62 percent of respondents using two-factor authentication to boost their account security.

The report identified four tips users can follow to strengthen the security of their online accounts:

  • Set up recover phone number/email address
  • Use unique passwords for your accounts
  • Keep software up to date
  • Set up two-factor authentication

About the Author

Jessica Davis is the Associate Content Editor for 1105 Media.

Featured

  • Maximizing Your Security Budget This Year

    7 Ways You Can Secure a High-Traffic Commercial Security Gate  

    Your commercial security gate is one of your most powerful tools to keep thieves off your property. Without a security gate, your commercial perimeter security plan is all for nothing. Read Now

  • New Report Says Vulnerability Exploitation Boom Threatens Cybersecurity

    Verizon Business recently released the findings of its 17th-annual Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR), which analyzed a record-high 30,458 security incidents and 10,626 confirmed breaches in 2023—a two-fold increase over 2022. Read Now

  • In The Clouds

    Video data storage in the cloud was a novel concept when Dean Drako founded Eagle Eye Networks back in 2012. While cloud was being used for almost all other business systems at that time, the physical security industry took a cautious and measured approach to cloud adoption. Read Now

  • Surveillance Cameras Provide Peace of Mind for New Florida Homeowners

    Managing a large estate is never easy. Tack on 2 acres of property and keeping track of the comings and goings of family and visitors becomes nearly impossible. Needless to say, the new owner of a $10 million spec home in Florida was eager for a simple way to monitor and manage his 15,000-square-foot residence, 2,800-square-foot clubhouse and expansive outdoor areas. Read Now

Most   Popular

Featured Cybersecurity

Webinars

New Products

  • Unified VMS

    AxxonSoft introduces version 2.0 of the Axxon One VMS. The new release features integrations with various physical security systems, making Axxon One a unified VMS. Other enhancements include new AI video analytics and intelligent search functions, hardened cybersecurity, usability and performance improvements, and expanded cloud capabilities 3

  • ResponderLink

    ResponderLink

    Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), an Alarm.com company and a global leader in gunshot detection solutions, has introduced ResponderLink, a groundbreaking new 911 notification service for gunshot events. ResponderLink completes the circle from detection to 911 notification to first responder awareness, giving law enforcement enhanced situational intelligence they urgently need to save lives. Integrating SDS’s proven gunshot detection system with Noonlight’s SendPolice platform, ResponderLink is the first solution to automatically deliver real-time gunshot detection data to 911 call centers and first responders. When shots are detected, the 911 dispatching center, also known as the Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP, is contacted based on the gunfire location, enabling faster initiation of life-saving emergency protocols. 3

  • Luma x20

    Luma x20

    Snap One has announced its popular Luma x20 family of surveillance products now offers even greater security and privacy for home and business owners across the globe by giving them full control over integrators’ system access to view live and recorded video. According to Snap One Product Manager Derek Webb, the new “customer handoff” feature provides enhanced user control after initial installation, allowing the owners to have total privacy while also making it easy to reinstate integrator access when maintenance or assistance is required. This new feature is now available to all Luma x20 users globally. “The Luma x20 family of surveillance solutions provides excellent image and audio capture, and with the new customer handoff feature, it now offers absolute privacy for camera feeds and recordings,” Webb said. “With notifications and integrator access controlled through the powerful OvrC remote system management platform, it’s easy for integrators to give their clients full control of their footage and then to get temporary access from the client for any troubleshooting needs.” 3