- 47 percent of Generation Z and 46 percent of Millennials say they have experienced password hacking in Yubico’s latest annual report.
- But they are also the demographic groups supposedly most aware and eager to adopt hardware security keys.
- 73 percent of Generation Z are also concerned about the rise of AI in cyberattacks.
Generation Z and Millennials are just as at risk of password breaches as anyone else, a new report from Yubico claims.
Their survey found that 47% of Generation Z and 46% of Millennials reported that their social media account passwords had been breached at some point, findings that appear to be at odds with the 63% of respondents in one study. sample of 20,000 people who say they felt confident about cybersecurity measures implemented to protect their personal information.
And yet, the report also reveals that 70% of respondents reported being victims of a cyberattack in the last twelve months, indicating overconfidence and a lack of cybersecurity education. 40% of respondents said they had not received any cybersecurity training at work.
Cybersecurity Attitudes of Generation Z and Millennials in the Workplace
Things get worse when you consider that almost half (49%) of respondents reported being more concerned about their personal data than that of their company or workplace, proving that business and enterprise owners are failing to see the computer and cybersecurity knowledge as an innate skill in the younger generations. when considering the resilience of your own digital infrastructure.
It also seems silly to imply that younger generations are more likely to adopt and understand the implications of new technologies more easily, when 58% of respondents reported concern about the continued “sophisticated” role of AI in cyber attacks.
Yubico’s opinion on authentication methods
The main goal of the report appears to be advocating for alternative authentication methods in the workplace, with only 21% of workers saying they use a mobile phone. authentication application. The Yubico report notes that workers may have valid reasons for not using this method, such as not wanting to use a personal smartphone for work or simply not having one.
To this end, Yubico advocates for passwordless MFA solutions, such as software-based access keys (which are widely supported in the tech industry) in addition to physical security keys.
“In addition to being highly secure, access keys greatly simplify the user experience,” said Derek Hanson, vice president of Standards and Alliances at Yubico.
“By eliminating the need for users to remember complex passwords, you reduce the friction associated with login and eliminate the frustration of forgetting passwords. “This can lead to greater user satisfaction and productivity, especially in enterprise environments where employees often juggle multiple accounts and passwords.”
“When we look at current passcode options, those that are tied to the device with security keys provide the highest level of phishing resistance and meet the strictest security standards.”
The report concludes by suggesting “embrace emerging economies [technology] such as hardware security keys and access keys, will undoubtedly play a fundamental role in safeguarding our digital identities and in the security of the systems and services we rely on every day”, a utopian notion that is seen very well supported by the revelation that 39% of respondents believe that a standard username and password combination is the most secure authentication available.
