Today, we’re publishing an unprecedented report on the state of password security in the workplace. Our 2018 Global Password Security Report offers the benchmark in password security for businesses worldwide. The report is available in English, French and German.
Through aggregated, anonymized data from over 43,000 businesses using LastPass, we aim to help IT professionals understand where their company ranks, and how to chart a better course. For companies who have delayed an investment in password management, this report serves as motivation – and a warning – to make changes today.
Defining Password Benchmark Scores
In addition to other data points, there are two benchmark scores highlighted in the report: The LastPass Security Score and the LastPass Password Strength Score.
The LastPass Password Strength Score evaluates the combined, averaged password strength of all passwords stored in the user’s vault. The LastPass Security Score builds on the Password Strength Score to evaluate whether passwords are duplicated, vulnerable or otherwise weak. The score also considers multifactor authentication usage and other security settings, to show the complete picture of password security for an individual user.
Much like last year's Password Expose report, this report represents organizations of all types and sizes, across many industries. Though the data reflects businesses using LastPass, we’ve broadened our conclusions for the business IT community at large.
The Benchmark Password Security Score, Revealed
Drumroll, please! Introduced for the first time ever in our report, the benchmark LastPass Security Score for 2018 is 52. A score of 52 tells us that, across 43,000 businesses investing in password management, many are excelling with extremely high scores, while others have work to do. When we look at that by country, Germany excels with an average score of 56 while France and the United Kingdom are right on target at 52, and United States lags slightly behind at 49. All of these scores of middle of the road, which shows a clear need for more effective policies and trainings so organizations can surpass the benchmark.
Rapid Improvements in Password Security Are Possible
When businesses first invest in password management, they have an average Security Score of 26. The average business gains an impressive 15 points in their first year of using a password manager. This indicates a tangible increase in password security within a company that can be attributed to the use of a password manage. As an IT or security leader, this is a benchmark that you can leverage in executive conversations to show measurable improvement and ROI on the tool.
A Report You Don’t Want to Miss
The 2018 Global Password Security Report goes on to explore other important insights into password behaviors in the workplace. From analyzing usage of multi-factor authentication across industries and geographies, to looking at password sharing behaviors, our report brings you a global view into the realities of today’s password security. Get the report for the complete results. Don't forget it's also available in French and German.
