Technology
CSA says when it came to password security, there was “no improvement” in management habits last year.
The word ‘password’ is pictured on a computer screen in this picture illustration taken in Berlin May 21, 2013. T REUTERS/Pawel Kopczynski/Files
SINGAPORE: There were some bright spots in terms of how people had better cybersecurity practices last year, but more still can be done to improve password management and software updates, an annual survey by the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore’s (CSA) found.
The 2017 findings showed that more respondents are exercising caution when it comes to online transactions and app downloads, the press release on the survey said. The proportion of respondents who proceeded with online transactions without first checking the authenticity of the websites dropped by 18 percentage points to 20 per cent last year from 38 per cent in 2016 .
For those downloading mobile apps, there was a 7 percentage point increase among those who did so via an official app store, from 83 per cent in 2016 to 90 per cent last year.
More are also aware of what two-factor authentication (2FA) is; the survey showed there was a six percentage point drop in the proportion of respondents who said they were “not sure” of the process, from 10 per cent in 2016.
“This could also be a reason why more respondents indicated that they had enabled 2FA for either some or all accounts, resulting in a significant increase of 13 percentage points from 66 per cent in 2016,” it added.
The survey collected data from 2,035 respondents through an online survey, and the information was weighted against the demographics of Singapore’s general population by gender, race and age.
MIND YOUR PASSWORDS, UPDATES
It was not all rosy last year though.
CSA said that when it came to password security, there was “no improvement” in management habits last year, with one in three respondents continuing to store their passwords in their computers or write them down, or use the same password for work and personal accounts.
Additionally, more than six in 10 respondents did not change their passwords regularly, or did so only when the system prompted them, the survey found.
In terms of mindsets, the survey found that respondents’ level of concern towards cyber threats saw a slight dip.
Furthermore, just between 31 per cent and 44 per cent of them felt that the three scenarios of cyber threats – i.e. having their devices infected by viruses or malware, their financial or personal information extracted without their consent, and falling victim to a scam or fraud – could happen to them, it added.
“It is heartening that a majority of respondents recognise that everyone should be concerned about cybersecurity. However, we need to translate this recognition into action. Cyber threats show no sign of abating,” said Mr David Koh, chief executive of CSA.
“While we will continue to provide cybersecurity understanding and know-how to the community, we must recognise that we all have a part to play to protect ourselves online and not fall prey to cybercriminals.”
The CSA said it will launch its second cybersecurity public awareness campaign, titled Cyber Tips 4 You, on Apr 23. The campaign will include a series of online videos, advertisements and posters, featuring local celebrities Suhaimi Yusof and Jae Liew from the cast of television drama Tanglin.
A launch event will be also held on May 5 at Bedok Mall where visitors can get tips on how to create strong passwords as well as information on antivirus software and how it works.
