Freely subscribe to our NEWSLETTER

The problem with passwords: UK workers waste more than two days a year logging in

· 17% spend more than five minutes logging in to work apps each day
· A quarter must log in to five different apps and systems
· Nearly one in five write down passwords to remember them

Research published in Hypersocket’s whitepaper Work smarter, not harder: solving
password problems with Single Sign-On shows that 60 per cent of workers spend up to
five minutes logging in to work apps each day, while a frustrated 17 per cent tap
their fingers for more than five minutes before they can get down to work.

This means that UK office workers could be wasting between 7½ and 19 hours a year
waiting for systems to get up and running – or between one and two and a half
working days annually.

Multiple systems equals multiple logins
Just under two-thirds of respondents told Hypersocket they must log in to between
two and five different apps and systems before they can get started for work, whilst
just over a quarter (26 per cent) log in to more than five systems.

The findings highlight that the majority of employees are juggling multiple logins
and credentials, despite the fact that technology like Single Sign-On, which
automatically populates users’ passwords and logs them into their web apps with
one-click is well established. In fact, only 9 per cent of those surveyed are able
to use just one set of credentials across systems.

Password security risks

Multiple passwords not only open the door for hackers to enter the system, there are
obvious knock-on implications for how strong and secure these passwords might be.
With so many different systems to access, almost 40 per cent of employees admitted
to using techniques to remember their passwords that pose a potential security risk
to their business.

Nearly one in five people (19 per cent) admitted to writing their passwords down to
remember them. A further 21 per cent routinely use obvious, easy to guess passwords
such as their children’s or spouse’s names. Just 6 per cent use a password
manager to store and organise passwords and then access them using one master
password.

Lee Painter, CEO of Hypersocket Software comments: “Tough access control
requirements mean that, understandably, most enterprise systems require a password
to grant users access and our findings highlight the password problem employee’s
face in juggling multiple logins and the obvious knock on effect on security and
productivity.”

He adds: “But it’s a problem with a straightforward solution. Implementing
Single Sign-On technology can mean the difference between breach and security,
inefficiency and productivity. For employees one-click sign in is the difference
between inconvenience and accessibility, working harder or working smarter.”

The pain of password resets

The research also shows there is more pain for those who forget their passwords.
Over one third (36 per cent) of people have work applications they don’t bother to
use anymore because they have forgotten the password. And while 63 per cent of
respondents use a password self-service system for password resets, a quarter (25
per cent) still have to contact an IT help desk to reset their passwords.

Concludes Lee: “Whatever the future with trends such as biometric passwords,
it’s probable that the traditional password will remain a key security layer for
the foreseeable future and so continue to create pain points for employees. Poor
password practices and weak management of identities will continue to make
enterprises vulnerable and create a route for hackers and malicious insiders to
breach systems.”

For more insight into the challenges that arise for employees and enterprises from
the use of multiple passwords and the benefits of Single Sign-On technology,
download Hypersocket’s whitepaper: Work smarter, not harder: solving password
problems with Single Sign-On.