Nearly two in five Irish adults have not updated their main password in the last 12 months - OneLogin research

DUBLIN, Dec. 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Nearly two in five Irish adults (39 percent) haven't updated their main password in the last 12 months, according to new research.

The research, published today by OneLogin, a global leader in identity and access management, finds that 20% of Irish adults haven't updated their passwords in over two years and a further five percent can't recall the last time they updated their passwords.

The research was commissioned to mark the opening of OneLogin's new EMEA headquarters in Dublin and the creation of 30 new roles.    

Founded in 2009 by two Danish brothers, Thomas and Christian Pedersen, OneLogin enables organisations to deliver a simple and secure way for employees to access apps and data, anytime from anywhere.

Its new Dublin team, led by Elle Lathrop, will be responsible for driving sales, engineering and customer services activities across the EMEA region and will be hiring various other cross-functional roles including marketing, security and operations.  It hopes to fill the 30 new roles, based out of the Iconic Offices, Greenway Building in Dublin 2, before the end of 2020.

In total, OneLogin employs over 300 employees and has entities in the US, UK, Netherlands, Germany, Mexico, Australia, and Japan.  Clients include Tesco, Fairfax Media, NTT Data, Fujitsu Social Science Laboratory and the British Red Cross.

Cybersecurity research

In 2017, the global cost of cybercrime was estimated to be in excess of $600 billion and this figure is expected to continue to grow into the future.  In parallel, CyberSecurity Ireland predicts that by 2023, $248 billion annually will be invested in cybersecurity. 

OneLogin's research, conducted by YouGov amongst 1,000 Irish adults over the age of 18, sought to analyse Irish adults' online security preferences and behaviours.  When people were asked for the most annoying method of online security, 31% of those surveyed cited Captcha, the random image and number generator and a further 17% said one-time passcodes, typically sent via email or text.  12% said hard tokens such as dongles or smart cards, and a further 11 percent cited answering security questions, including their mother's maiden name or first pet. 

Key findings:

When asked for their most annoying method of online security:

• 31% of Irish adults said Captcha, the random image and number generator
• 17% said one-time passcodes (i.e. where you are sent a code e.g. via text, email etc. to enter each time)
• 12% said a hard token (i.e. a physical security device that you need to use e.g. dongles, smart cards, card readers etc.)
• 11% said answering security questions, like a mother's maiden name or first pet
• 5% said biometrics (e.g. fingerprint or facial recognition etc)
• 14% said they didn't know or didn't find any security processes particularly annoying.

Storing passwords

The research also looked at how Irish adults store their passwords.  According to OneLogin's research:

• 27% of Irish adults write down their passwords on paper,
• 24% save them on their phone or computer
• 16% use a dedicated third-party password manager or app (such as Google Password Manager or OneLogin)
• 43% either don't have any particular method of storing their passwords or used another method other than the above.

 OneLogin comment

"Ireland is fast establishing itself as a strategic technology innovation hub and one with an incredible pool of talent.  We see the office opening in Dublin as an important move in the growth plans for OneLogin's global business," comments Brad Brooks, CEO of OneLogin.  "OneLogin believes our platform delivers a secure and compliant solution for enterprises to easily lower IT costs and increase productivity.  With the Irish market booming and major names moving into the market, we're excited to be able to offer our solution at a time when every enterprise needs to securely and efficiently protect their business applications, employee and customer identities."    

"We believe excellence comes from empowering people with the tools they need, the space to have a voice and autonomy to solve a problem a new way. We look forward to working with our new irish colleagues as we build out our new EMEA operations."

Commenting on the study, Elle Lathrop, OneLogin's head of  EMEA, said:

"Today's OneLogin research demonstrates a growing awareness of the dangers of cybercrime, and points to an opportunity for Irish organisations and individuals to take a more stringent approach to their professional and personal online security.

"With the advancements in cybersecurity becoming more sophisticated, OneLogin is well poised to be the identity and access management solution of choice for enterprises globally. OneLogin's Trusted Experience Platform securely, safely, and efficiently manages online identities, protecting data and privacy for customers all over the world." 

Welcoming the announcement Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation Heather Humphreys TD said:

"I warmly welcome the news that OneLogin will set up their EMEA HQ in Dublin, resulting in the creation of 30 highly skilled jobs. Cybersecurity is an increasingly important sector and Ireland has the talent pool, Government support and academic commitment that encourages companies like OneLogin to join the growing list of global firms coming here."

Eileen Sharpe, Divisional Manager Growth Markets, Europe and Emerging Business at IDA Ireland, said:

"With support from IDA, Ireland has emerged as a leading global destination for some of the world's top Cybersecurity companies that want to build strategic international activities here, such as core product development, international headquarters and administration, or EMEA sales and marketing.  OneLogin's decision to establish a new office in Dublin to grow its international footprint is very welcome and enhances Ireland's reputation as a leader in the cyber security industry."

*Stats attributed to Cyber Security Ireland.

YouGov's research was conducted amongst 1,000 Irish adults in November 2019.

About OneLogin, Inc.

OneLogin, the leader in Unified Access Management, connects people with technology through a simple and secure login, empowering organisations to access the world™. The OneLogin Unified Access Management (UAM) platform is the key to unlocking the apps, devices, and data that drive productivity and facilitate collaboration. OneLogin serves businesses and partners across a multitude of industries, with over 2,500 customers worldwide. For more information, visit www.onelogin.com.

SOURCE OneLogin

Related Links

http://www.onelogin.com