Our Bad Password Habits Are Putting Us at Risk [#Infographic]

Americans are not as good at securing their data as they like to think they are.

Americans might be under the impression that the passwords they’ve chosen to protect their data are secure, but the results of a recent survey by security company CSID indicate they are mistaken. In fact, according to the survey, most Americans are practicing very poor password habits.

For instance, 89 percent of Americans reported that they feel comfortable with their current password habits, but, at the same time, one in five respondents has had an online account compromised. Even with those data breaches, 44 percent of people say they change their password once a year or less often.

A longer alphanumeric password that also includes punctuation is the best bet for keeping accounts safe from hackers. Despite that, only 6 percent of the survey respondents use a password that meets those criteria. Instead, most choose a password made up of only letters, which is extremely easy for hackers to solve.

For a closer look at the survey results, check out this infographic:

Bad Passwords infographic