Four out of five people are “locked out” of websites due to lost passwords

Four out of five consumers have been “locked out” of websites due to not remembering log-ins – and over a fifth rely on password resets “on a regular basis,” according to a survey conducted by Ping Identity.

The survey, of 1,000 computer users in the UK, highlighted the problems in expecting consumers to remember long, complex passwords, and negotiate difficult log-in processes.
Nearly a quarter of consumers now remember log-ins for up to five consumer websites (24%) and almost a third of shoppers remember log-ins for up to 11 and 20 websites according to Ping’s research.
ESET’s guide to how to create strong passwords (without driving yourself mad), and keep them safe is here – helping you shop freely without handing the keys your email (or bank account) to a cybercriminal.

“With more than half of respondents logging into an online shopping site with a password up to five times a day, this login barrier could cost businesses dearly,” said Andrew Hindle, director at Ping Identity. “E-tailers need to make the registration and payment process as seamless as possible.”

Nearly 71% of consumers admitted to having “abandoned” web businesses due to having been forced to fill in long, complex web forms, according to Ping’s survey.
The need to remember up to 20 different passwords and usernames highlights why so many users re-use passwords, or use simple variations on existing ones.

In Deloitte’s Technology, Media and Telecommunications Predictions 2013 earlier this year, the firm predicted that 90% of user generated passwords will be vulnerable to hacking this year, and could lead to “billions” in losses.

“This is due to factors such as password re-use, advances in hardware and software used to crack passwords, and non-random distribution of characters,” says Deloitte.“As the value of the information protected by passwords continues to grow, attracting more hack attempts, high-value sites will likely require additional forms of authentication.”