55 percent of Brits use passwords to protect their router but fail to change their WiFi password regularly. Our new research has revealed that whilst most UK adults are familiar with using router passwords to protect their WiFi (85 percent), 55 percent of users are actually putting themselves at risk by never changing their passwords, leaving them vulnerable to cyber-attacks.
The survey, conducted of 1000 adults in the UK, also found that of those users who do change their WiFi password, 22 percent change it less often than once every two years. Only 10 percent change it once a month.
Despite there being several other means of protecting your WiFi against hacking, a staggering 49 percent say they either don’t protect their WiFi at all or don’t use any other method in addition to password protection. This highlights the gap in knowledge amongst Brits on how they can reduce the risk of cyber threats as many simply do not know what other options are available. The research showed that only:
- 29 percent were familiar with WiFi encryption
- 24 percent were familiar with changing the router username
- 13 percent knew about hiding SSD
- 37 percent were aware of router firewalls
Furthermore, despite 50 percent knowing that they should keep their device software updated to keep WiFi secure, only 39 percent do this in reality.
Younger generations are the most vulnerable
The 25-34 year old generation are the biggest culprits for poor password management, with 64 percent never changing their WiFi password, compared to 50 percent of 45-54 year olds. 63 percent of millennials don’t use any other form of security either. 45-54 year olds are the age group that are best at keeping their device software updated.
Our CEO, Ulf Timmermann, warns: “More and more people are accessing the internet via their WiFi at home every single day. Simply relying on a password as your sole security method at home puts WiFi users at risk as launch passwords are easy for hackers to break.”
For further details on wireless routers available, visit reichelt.com.
Image: Adobe Stock
