UK's Top E-commerce Sites Failing on Password Security Ahead of Christmas Shopping Boom
A new study reveals worrying password security lapses among the UK's top e-commerce sites. As two-thirds of shoppers plan to do their Christmas shopping online, experts urge caution due to inadequate password policies on many popular platforms.
The Dashlane study found that 80% of the UK's most popular e-commerce sites have insufficient password policies. Shockingly, 16% of these sites allow users to have passwords like 'password' or '12345', which are among the ten most common. Despite some progress, 56% of sites still permit passwords less than eight characters long, with 52% receiving negative scores for their exceptionally weak requirements.
Asda Groceries, River Island, Amazon UK, Debenhams, and Wickes were identified as having the weakest password policies. Meanwhile, Boots, John Lewis, and Very have strong password requirements. Apple received a perfect score for its robust password policies, which mandate a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols, and a minimum length of eight characters.
With Christmas shopping in full swing, consumers are urged to be vigilant about their online security. While some retailers have improved their password policies, many still fall short. Shoppers are advised to create strong passwords, use unique ones for each site, and consider using a password manager to stay safe online.
Read also:
- China's Foothold in Europe
- Advancement in Biometric Acceptance Paves Way for Challenges in Countering AI-Driven Digital Fraud
- Unidentified cybercriminals suspected in mobile banking fraud in Kenya, as insiders potentially implicated in the scheme
- Exploring the Architecture and Skills of Qualys' Agentic AI: A Deep Dive into Its Technological Framework and Abilities
