Australian consumers are becoming increasingly concerned about password security and the methods organisations use to verify their identity, according to a new study by Sydney-based research company, callcentres.net.
The 2009 Salmat VeCommerce Identity Verification Study highlights consumers’ fears that traditional PINs and passwords do not provide adequate protection of their personal information, with 67 per cent of consumers reporting that they believe their security details are at risk.
“An increasing number of consumers in the Australian market believe that conventional forms of identity verification, such as PINs and passwords, are becoming more vulnerable to fraud, theft or misuse,” said Paul Magee, Managing Director of Salmat VeCommerce.
“These concerns are focused around the ease with which the personal information can be guessed, the possibility of information being stolen and the use of technology to hack information.”
The majority of those surveyed said that they report having difficulty remembering multiple PINs and passwords, with 78 percent forgetting a password on atleast one occasion and were required to divulge additional personal information to confirm their identity.
According to Magee, identity crime is one of the fastest growing offenses across the globe and consumers are keen to ensure their personal information is protected.
“Their (consumers) paramount concern is that this information is dealt with in an appropriate way and that they retain control over it as much as possible.”
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