Have you ever wondered how to make your online accounts secure, but not known how to do that? If so, you’re not alone! One of the main reasons Kiwis don’t always take deliberate steps to improve their online security, is not knowing what steps to take, or where to start (37%).
New research, conducted for Google New Zealand by YouGov, shows that most Kiwis are not always taking deliberate steps to enhance their online security (69%). This is despite a third of us admitting that we’re aware of a time a password was compromised or hacked. In fact one in five Kiwis have fallen victim to phishing or an online scam.
This is why Google invests extensively in our products and services to ensure they’re secure by default and private by design. We keep more users safe - by blocking malware, phishing attempts, spam messages and potential cyber attacks - than anyone else in the world, but it’s also important that people take advantage of tools to improve their protection.
While online security can seem confusing, or boring, the good news is that there are some very easy things we can all do to keep ourselves safer online:
Use a password manager to create and store strong passwords for every account. For example, Google’s Password Manager, built directly into your Google Account, uses the latest AI security technology to protect your passwords.
Turn on 2-Step Verification. This helps to keep out anyone who shouldn’t have access to your account by requiring you to use a secondary factor on top of your username and password to log in to your account.
Make sure site connections are secure. If the url is secure the Chrome browser will display a grey fully locked icon in the url field.
Always validate URLs and suspicious links. Double-check the URL by hovering over the link or long-pressing the text on mobile — to make sure that the website or app is legitimate; and make sure that the URL begins with 'https'.
Double check files before downloading. If you come across a suspicious attachment, use Chrome or Google Drive to open it. They automatically scan the file and warn you if we detect a virus.
We also launched the Google Safety Centre to share these and other simple solutions, information and advice for New Zealanders to protect themselves online
The research data comes from a report which looked at Kiwis’ attitudes to online safety and security. Key findings also include:
Deliberate steps to improve online security
Seven in ten (59%) New Zealand adults are not always taking deliberate steps in order to improve their online security.
Younger Kiwis aged 18-34 (80%) are more likely than older Australians aged 50+ (58%) to say they do not always take deliberate steps all the time in order to improve their online security.
Barriers to taking deliberate action
Among those who are not currently taking deliberate steps to protect themselves online all the time, the main reason as to why is because they say they wouldn't know what steps they could take or where to start (37%).
Women (44%) are more likely than men (28%) to suggest that they wouldn’t know what steps they could take or where to start in regard to protecting themselves online.
Passwords
Only three in ten (31%) Kiwi adults say that they always use a different password for every account online. A further three in ten (31%) say they use a couple of passwords across their account, but they do overlap, one in five (22%) say they use similar passwords based on the same word / phrase for all their accounts, while 6%, the equivalent of 218k Kiwis say they use the exact same password for all their accounts where possible. While, one in five (19%) say they often forget the password they use online.
Alarmingly, the younger Kiwis aged 18-34 (8%) are twice as likely to use the exact same password for all their accounts where possible compared to those aged 50+ (3%), as well as more likely to say they use a couple of passwords across their account, but they do overlap (18-34 26% compared to 50+ 18%), which potentially suggests a degree of complacency amongst the younger tech savvy generations
Just one in four (26%) use a password manager, a tool designed to provide strong passwords that are safely secured.
Two-factor authentication usage
Nearly one in five people (18%) didn’t know what two-factor authentication, the addition of app or text approval to access an account, meant, with just one in ten (9%) always using this layer of protection that is widely recognised as best practice, for online accounts.
Methodology
Consumer research conducted on behalf of Google New Zealand by YouGov. The research comprised a national sample of 1,511 New Zealand adults 18+ years during the period 11-18 August 2021.