Consumers can’t shake risky security habits

From helpnetsecurity.com

Despite almost half of U.S. consumers (49 percent) believing their security habits make them vulnerable to information fraud or identity theft, 51 percent admit to reusing passwords/PINs across multiple accounts such as email, computer log in, phone passcode, and bank accounts, according to Shred-it.

shake risky security habits

Consumers are not only putting their digital security at risk, but their habits toward physical information security also make them vulnerable to fraud or identity theft. While nearly two in 10 consumers (17 percent) are concerned that they could fall victim to a physical security breach, nearly three in 10 consumers (27 percent) admit they do not shred paper or physical documents containing sensitive information before throwing them away.

“The Consumer Fraud Awareness Survey demonstrates how today’s consumers are becoming increasingly vulnerable to fraud or identity theft due to lax information security habits,” said Monu Kalsi, Vice President, Shred-it. “With International Fraud Awareness Week on the horizon, this is an excellent time for information security leaders to share critical tips and advice with consumers on how they can improve their security habits to ensure they’re better protected from a data breach.”

Read more…