Various digital tools can improve the security of passwords used in South Africa by helping users to generate secure complex passwords for a large number of applications, securely store them and change them regularly, says cybersecurity multinational Kaspersky consumer product marketing head Marina Titova.

She adds that such tools can also help users discover whether their details have been compromised.

Passwords are the most common method of authentication, but only work if they are difficult to crack and confidential. With an increasing number of applications requiring them, it can be difficult to come up with new complex passwords and keep them all in mind – especially when users may be required to change their passwords regularly.  

"In addition to this challenge, it is becoming more vital to store passwords securely and look out for possible instances when these credentials could be leaked," Titova notes.

According to the Kaspersky 'Defending digital privacy' report, 63% of local users claim they remember all of their passwords, which can be difficult if security requirements such as password complexity and uniqueness are to be satisfied.

Further, 10% keep them written in a file or document stored on their computer, while 18% use the browsers on their computers, smartphones or tablets to store their passwords.

To ensure the safety of personal data, Kaspersky recommends users minimise the number of people they share account login information with and to never leave passwords where others might find them – be it on paper or on a device.

"Keeping them on sticky notes or a pad might be tempting, but it will also be just as easy for others to access things you do not want them to," she quips.

"Use strong and robust passwords generated by a reliable security solution. This will produce secure, unique passwords for each account every time and help you resist the temptation to reuse the same password more than once," she advises.