6/26/2005
Computer passwords ‘up for grabs’
June 24, BBC News Computer passwords ‘up for grabs’ according to IT security firm.
Half of IT managers employed by largesized companies believe it would be relatively easy to gain the core passwords for their computer systems. That is the warning of a survey by IT security firm, CyberArk. It said that ten percent of firms never changed their central administrative passwords. A further five percent did not even bother altering the manufacturer’s default password that came with the system. The survey also found one IT boss who kept all passwords on his mobile phone. Less than a third of IT managers store key passwords digitally, the survey of 175 IT professionals revealed. The remainder continued to keep paper copies, stored everywhere from locked cabinets to safes. About 25% of IT staff could, as a result, access the core passwords without official permission, the survey said. The survey found that IT managers estimate 19% of general staff in their firms still keep their passwords on notepaper beside their computers.
CyberArk Press Release
Source
Filed by Ken at 11:35 pm under InfoSec, Technology
Bruce Schneier prefers that passwords be complex and written down as opposed to simplistic and memorized. He also offers free software that serves as a password vault on your computer.