Even though there is an uproar about individual information breaches from internet users, in fact there are still many users who have uncomfortable internet routines. For Google's survey, the figure reaches 92 percent of the total respondents. The survey, which was commissioned by Google by market research agency YouGov, linked more than 13,000 respondents in 11 Asian markets to pursue less comfortable digital routines and helped increase internet users' attention to be more alert, especially ahead of the 11th annual shopping day. 11. Because, during this period, online shopping activities can increase by up to 20 percent, so that more people are vulnerable to fraud.
Unsafe internet routine
For this digital responsibility research, there are at least 3 online routines that are less comfortable and are still being tried by many internet users, including:
- Using the same password for different services
Online activities continue to grow rapidly. The average internet user today has 25 percent more passwords than before the pandemic, with an average number of close to 80. This is a large number to remember. Google research found that 79 percent of respondents in Indonesia use the same password for multiple websites, with 2 in 5 people admitting to doing so for up to 10 different websites. Among other things, 40 percent of respondents said they played this role because they were afraid of not being able to remember their password, while 30 percent of them said it was for convenience.
- Create easy-to-guess passwords
Another inconvenient online routine is using easy-to-guess
passwords in combination with highly-hackable stuff. This ranges from
coinciding with meaning, companion name, pet name, to zip code. Almost 1 in 4
respondents admitted to putting the password in the 'notes' application on
their cellphone. Meanwhile, usually apps are not encrypted by default. Using
the same password for multiple services plus a mix of easy-to-hack passwords
makes internet users twice as likely to be victims of online financial information
theft.
- Giving passwords to other people
Research also shows that 3 out of 5 respondents give passwords to friends or family, especially for streaming platform accounts, food delivery services, and e-commerce websites. In addition, in carrying out online transactions, 3 out of 4 people claim to have made purchases at parks that are not marked with a comfortable symbol, thus providing an easy opportunity for fraudsters to steal data and make purchases with their money.
Not only that, 74 percent of respondents who put financial
data online also provide passwords to friends and family. This routine can
increase the vulnerability to breaches of individual information because their
passwords are used in several different features. All these unfavorable routines
can be a trigger for almost 2 out of 3 respondents in Indonesia to have faced
an information violation or understand someone who has experienced it." We
know from previous research that people who have been victims of information
violations have maybe 10 times more likely to become victims.
"When we risk security for convenience by giving
passwords to other people, using the same password for multiple services, and
creating easy-to-guess passwords, we make our personal data, including payment
information, very inconvenient," said Product Marketing. Manager, Google
Indonesia, Amanda Chan, as reported by Kompas. com from a written explanation.
Avoiding the breach of individual information While there
are some findings that reveal that many internet users still carry out an
uncomfortable routine, there are also findings that indicate the desire of the
respondents to be more digitally responsible. As many as 67 percent of
respondents said that in the future they vow to start taking deterrence
actions, such as using 2-step authentication, especially if it is not required.
In addition, 4 out of 5 respondents also said they would immediately change
their passwords if there was a possibility that their information had been
stolen, while 2 out of 3 people vowed to use a password management service.
However, only 5 percent do it. That's why, Google provides
several tools that can be used to make internet users more responsible for
online security." We strongly encourage everyone to use all of these tools
as much as possible, especially approaching the end of year holiday period when
protection against hacking becomes more and more. crucial," said Amanda.
Google shares some guidelines for strengthening online security, including:
Creating stronger passwords. Avoid using the same password for many of the same
services.
Because if other people get access to one of them, all the
services used will be uncomfortable. Create a unique and strong password for
each service account. Make sure each password is hard to guess and if possible
contains at least 8 characters. To make things easier, consider using a
password management service to help create stronger passwords, keep them safe,
and keep track of all passwords.
Password Checking in Google Password Manager, for example, can
help check the strength and security of all passwords that are placed and let
you know if there are passwords that could be at risk. Enable 2-step
authentication. This can reduce the possibility of other people accessing our
account without permission. 2-step authentication requires users to use one
bonus step each time they log into their account, not just entering a username
and password. Run a Google Security Check to strengthen the security of your
Google Account. It only takes about 2 minutes to complete.