Education Users Excel at Creating Strong Passwords

According to a new report from cybersecurity training provider Wombat Security, end users in the education sector are more knowledgeable about building safe passwords than people in other industries. The 2018 Beyond the Phish Report analyzed user responses to nearly 85 million questions related to phishing and data security. Respondents came from 16 industries, including education, government, technology and manufacturing.

Education respondents scored highest on questions about creating strong passwords, as well as protecting confidential information and avoiding scams. However, the same group struggled with identifying common security issues, scoring the lowest on the category compared to other industries. Topics in that category included "understanding of common cybersecurity concerns" and "recognition of essential cybersecurity protections."

Although education outperformed other industries in protecting confidential information, that category was the No. 1 problem area across the board, with 25 percent of end users answering those questions incorrectly on average. The category included questions on best practices related to GDPR, PCI DSS and HIPAA compliance, as well as requirements for data management within those standards. "These results are particularly concerning with the looming GDPR enforcement date," Wombat noted.

On the plus side, the best category for all industries was avoiding ransomware attacks. On average, end users answered those questions incorrectly just 11 percent of the time.

Wombat Security is a division of cybersecurity company Proofpoint. The full report is available for download here (registration required).

About the Author

Rhea Kelly is editor in chief for Campus Technology, THE Journal, and Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • AI toolbox containing a wrench, document icon, gears, and a network symbol

    Common Sense Media Releases Free AI Toolkit, AI Readiness & Implementation Guides

    Common Sense Media has developed an AI Toolkit for School Districts, available to educators free of charge, that provides guidelines and resources for implementing AI in education.

  • elementary school building with children outside, overlaid by a glowing data network and transparent graphs

    Toward a Holistic Approach to Data-Informed Decision-Making in Education

    With increasing access to data and powerful analytic tools, the temptation to reduce educational outcomes to mere numbers is strong. However, educational leadership demands a more holistic and thoughtful approach.

  • three silhouetted education technology leaders with thought bubbles containing AI-related icons

    Ed Tech Leaders Rank Generative AI as Top Tech Priority

    In a recent CoSN survey, an overwhelming majority of ed tech leaders (94%) said they see AI as having a positive impact on education. Respondents ranked generative AI as their top tech priority, with 80% reporting their districts have gen AI initiatives underway, or plan to in the current school year.

  • AI-powered individual working calmly on one side and a burnt-out person slumped over a laptop on the other

    AI's Productivity Gains Come at a Cost

    A recent academic study found that as companies adopt AI tools, they're not just streamlining workflows — they're piling on new demands. Researchers determined that "AI technostress" is driving burnout and disrupting personal lives, even as organizations hail productivity gains.