Excessive-profile cyber assaults and information breaches that make headline information have executed a lot to extend consciousness of safety points among the many basic public over the previous few years, however have additionally triggered heightened stress, with 93% of customers polled for a brand new examine by id specialist Okta saying they had been fearful about digital id theft.
Okta polled over 4,000 European customers – roughly 1,000 every in France, Germany, the Netherlands and the UK – within the compilation of its 2024 European buyer id survey, and located that 54% of respondents had improved their consciousness of their digital footprint over the previous 12 months – with a rise in cyber assault volumes (39%) and progress in synthetic intelligence (28%) cited as the commonest causes.
On synthetic intelligence (AI) particularly, a slim 56% majority of respondents thought the rising expertise was doing a lot to make the web setting much less secure, and 59% believed it was rising the chance of assaults focusing on and stealing digital identities. This fear was most pronounced in France, the place 51% thought this, in contrast with 37% of Brits, 36% of Germans and 29% of Dutch individuals.
“Identification is the doorway to any expertise in a digital-first world,” says Matt Ellard, senior vice-president and basic supervisor for EMEA at Okta. “With 80% of cyber safety assaults stemming from credential abuse, identity-based assaults have grow to be a high methodology for unhealthy actors.
“Enterprise leaders have to evolve rapidly to undertake a rigorous safety technique and work tradition to future-proof their organisation within the period of AI.”
Ellard mentioned Okta meant to guide by instance, and recommitted the agency – which, due to its presence as a most popular id providers supplier to many enterprises, sees greater than its fair proportion of cyber assaults focusing on its merchandise – to sharing its personal experiences and greatest practices to assist companies and customers alike battle again towards identity-based assaults.
“That is the one manner we can free everybody to soundly use any expertise,” he mentioned.
Europeans doing higher at password hygiene, however not quick sufficient
Throughout all 4 geographies the place the survey befell, 66% of respondents mentioned they personally knew somebody who had their private particulars hacked, and along with information protection, this issue could also be doing a lot to tell rising consciousness of fundamental safety hygiene – extra individuals, 42%, now appear to be utilizing completely different passwords for each on-line account, however 11% are nonetheless utilizing the identical password for all the pieces.
Sadly, with the mixed inhabitants of France, Germany, the Netherlands and the UK standing at roughly 237 million individuals, this nonetheless implies that over 26 million persons are at excessive danger of compromise, or to place it uncharitably, are being very foolish certainly.
Okta discovered customers had been most fearful about their on-line banking accounts – 57% mentioned having their financial savings pillaged was a high concern – and much much less fearful about social media safety, with solely 7% of individuals considering their X or Fb accounts had been main targets, despite the fact that they’re a wealthy supply of private information.
Office accounts had been even much less more likely to be thought price attacking. Simply 2% of individuals appeared to suppose their work accounts can be focused, regardless of this being categorically unfaithful in actuality.
This mentioned, practically three-quarters of individuals mentioned they needed to enhance their digital id technique and 46% thought-about defending their on-line identities a matter of private duty – 26% believed duty for such issues can be higher shared between themselves, tech companies and governments.
Frustration mounts, however may AI save the day?
One of many largest points cited by survey respondents was a way of frustration when logging into on-line accounts, with the issue of maintaining a number of identities and credential units straight of their heads with out technical help inflicting complications for a lot of.
A complete of 72% of individuals mentioned they had been pissed off when logging into on-line accounts, and this can be one space the place companies would possibly be capable of discover some motivation to help, as 49% of respondents mentioned they’d very most likely spend more cash if login processes had been easy, safe and frictionless.
Intriguingly, 42% mentioned they’d be superb with companies utilizing AI to make logging in a extra nice expertise, which factors to 1 potential path ahead for banks, retailers and different service suppliers.
