Decade of Research Shows Little Improvement in Password Guidance

Most of the top 10 English-speaking websites online offer little or no advice on creating passwords that are less likely to be hacked, according to researchers at the University of Plymouth in the U.K.

Plymouth's Steve Furnell says it is worrying that more than a decade after the issue of password security was first highlighted, companies are still not doing enough to aid consumers, especially with the increased threat of global cyberattacks.

The study, which focused on the password practices of Google, Facebook, Wikipedia, Reddit, Yahoo, Amazon, Twitter, Instagram, Microsoft Live, and Netflix, examined whether users were provided with guidance when creating an account, or changing or resetting a password, and how rigorously any password guidelines were enforced.

Furnell notes although the increased availability of two-step authentication and two-factor authentication options is a positive development, users require more encouragement or obligation to use them.

From University of Plymouth (U.K.)
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