Security fears for Aussie consumers

Peter Dinham
Wednesday, 06 May 2009 11:36

Business IT - Security

According to Magee, the main reasons for consumers’ fears about the security of their passwords were that they can be easy to guess (51 per cent), technology can be used to hack information (17 per cent) and information can be stolen or call centre staff can be dishonest (12 per cent).

The study also revealed that around six in 10 respondents (57 per cent) reported that they found having to remember multiple PINs and passwords frustrating, while a significant proportion of consumers (41 per cent) had to remember a password or PIN for more than five different organisations.

Over the past 12 months, 78 per cent said they had forgotten a password or PIN on at least one occasion and were required to divulge additional personal information to confirm their identity.

Magee said the study also found that, for consumers, the most preferred method of verifying identity was biometric voice identification, a technology that enables a person’s identity to be authenticated using the unique characteristics of their voice.
 
“This was favoured by 45 per cent of respondents, followed by PIN (21 per cent), password (18 per cent) and personal details or history questions (16 per cent).”

According to Magee, the survey indicated that consumers would also be prepared to deal with more complex processes as a trade-off for increased levels of security. In 2008, 64 per cent of respondents said they would ideally like a ‘fairly’ or ‘very’ complex security process when being identified by organisations. In 2009, this increased to 75 per cent.

“More than ever, consumers are keen to ensure that their personal information is protected,” said Magee.
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