« Back

Study: More Than 12 Million Pieces of Stolen Data Traded Hands in First Quarter 2012

A new study by Experian CreditExpert’s Web-monitoring identity-protection service found that more than 12 million pieces of personal information were traded online globally during 2012’s first quarter. In all of 2010, Experian found, about 9.5 million pieces of personal information were traded. Most of the information traded now, according to the current research, consists of password and login combinations, which the company attributes to a dramatic increase in the number of online accounts that consumers have. Experian estimates the average consumer has 26 different online logins but only five different passwords. The firm says another problem occurs when individuals with inactive accounts do not properly close them, leaving them active and vulnerable. (BBC)(Experian @ MarketWatch)

Comments
Trackback URL: