A survey conducted by the Gartner-affiliated research firm Software Advice shows that Generation Y – those born after the 80s – is more vulnerable to cyber attacks than previous generations.
The study conducted in the United States analyzed the online experience and issues of about 529 people.
According to the survey, Generation Y is the most vulnerable because 85% of millennials use the same password for multiple platforms on the Internet, and 40% access files or work tools on personal devices.
Another important finding of the study is that, in the workplace, 56% of the members of this generation seek solutions to “bypass” the blockage of companies to online services such as social networks.
To conduct the research, the firm analyzed data from three generations: Baby Boomers (1946 to 1964), Generation X (1965-1980), and Generation Y (1980-1990).
Key Points for better understanding:
1. 85 millennials from Generation Y use the same password for almost every site including social media platforms compared to 74% of Baby Boomers and 79% of Generation X.
2. Most millennials from Generation Y accept friends request from unknown users or invitations from unknown senders unlike Generation X and Baby Boomers.
3. Most millennials at the workplace will look for “security workarounds” to overcome restrictions.
The main purpose of the study was to check the security measures adopted by Generation Y in the tools used at work. In 2015, millennials will become the largest demographic in the workforce, with a population of over 75 million, according to the firm.
If you are from Generation Y, take advantage of this study and change the way you use the internet. Stop accepting friends request/invitations from unknown senders, hide your personal details on the Internet, don’t open suspicious emails, and don’t download or click files attached with such emails as it can be a phishing scam.
Make sure you are not using the same password on all the websites you login on daily basis because if hackers get access to one of your password, they can take over each and every account associated with that password.