Reinventing security on World Password Day

In our highly connected lifestyle, passwords hold the key to any form of information access and act as our digital identity. A strong password is your first line of defense against intruders and imposters, and if compromised it exposes an individual to vulnerabilities such as data theft, hacking and invasion of privacy. On World Password Day, Telenor India has disclosed the password habits, internet usage and access patterns of school going children in the country.

Telenor India’s WebWise report indicates that 98.8 per cent of children in urban areas are using internet and 54.6 per cent of those surveyed use ‘weak passwords’. Additionally, 54.82 per cent children share their passwords with their friends, family or relatives, hence creating a threat to their digital security.

The WebWise survey was done in 13 cities and covered 2,700 students. It also showed that 83.5 per cent children between six to 18 years are active on social media and, hence, are likely to have a higher threat perception. The study found that over 35 per cent children have experienced their account being hacked while 15.74 per cent shared that they have received inappropriate messages.

On the occasion, Shrinath Kotian, Circle Business Head of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana at Telenor India said, “Though India is home to the second largest internet population in the world, majority of users, specially our children, are exposed to cyber threats due to weak and easy-to-guess passwords.

At Telenor India through projects like WebWise we are empowering the digital society by spreading awareness among our next generation of digital natives on how to stay safe from cyber vulnerabilities while accessing the Internet. On the World Password Day, we should understand the significance of using strong passwords and secure our identity in this digital world.”