A survey conducted by SK ID Solutions, the company that maintains the Smart-ID authentication tool, is a source of concern, because of the fact that indicates that people tend to be careless in their choice of authentication tool. At the same time, they name security as one of the most important factors dictating their choice of tool. 10% of respondents admit that they have fallen victim to fraudsters.
According to the survey, the three most popular authentication tools are Google, Facebook, and Smart-ID. Compared to 2018, when an identical study was conducted for the first time, the popularity of the first two has increased slightly. In contrast, Smart-ID is now 20% more popular than it was three years ago. According to respondents, the main criteria for choosing an authentication tool are security, the convenience of use, and the fact that the tool can be used in as many places as possible.
“Clearly using a social network username and password is simple. It is also simple to use them in many places. However, only strong authentication is secure; like Smart-ID for example. This means that the person is verified according to at least two of the three parameters. One parameter is what the person knows. The second parameter is who the person is. The third parameter is what a person possesses. Strong authentication means verifying at least two of these factors. In other words, either the person knows the PIN code, password, or username. Or he uses his possessions, i.e. a computer, a phone, or other equipment. What he is – that’s biometrics: a facial algorithm, pupils, or fingerprints. Social network usernames and passwords do not correspond to strong user authentication because they only have one component, i.e. what the user knows (username and password). As far as money and personal data are concerned, I would recommend seriously considering the security of the authentication tool and whether someone else can use your data in your place,” explains the CEO of the Latvian branch of SK ID Solutions, Sanita Meijere, urging users to be cautious.
In Latvia, the financial sector is still mostly used in the financial sector. The survey’s results indicate that not only authentication is becoming increasingly popular for making purchases online, but also for communicating with public authorities. Interestingly, users have become more accepting – there are now fewer people who believe it is hard to start using electronic authentication, that it is not secure, and who complain that authentication cannot be used everywhere.
10% of respondents admit having fallen victim to fraud at least once. 46% of victims say that subsequently, they have become more careful when it comes to using authentication solutions. Meanwhile, 39% stated that falling victim to fraudsters prompted them to select another authentication solution.
“Only one piece of advice is worth keeping in mind – when you do something, be conscious here and now. Realize what you are doing and do not confirm anything automatically just because you receive a request to do so or because you are being asked to do something. And if a solution gets more complicated, be understanding and accept this, because it’s for your own security,” explains Meijere.
From 30 April to 20 May 2021, the maintainer of the Smart-ID authentication tool, SK ID Solutions, conducted a survey in Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Finland, and Sweden. The goal of the survey was to ascertain the usage experience of various authentication tools and users’ trust in them. Members of the public in the aforementioned countries took place in the survey – at least 1,000 people from each country, ranging from 18 to 65 years of age.