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Millennials Are at Greater Risk for Getting Hacked than Older Generations

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By Marissa Bergen
Contributor, InCyberDefense

Millennials represent a new generation that is likely not to remember a time before the Internet. Some may think this will make them more aware of the possible risks to their cybersecurity. However, recent research has found that this is not the case.

Millennials engage in a number of behaviors that make them more prone to having their private information compromised. For one, they are likely to share their passwords and usernames with friends and relatives. They are also more likely to include personal information on social media sites and use the same passwords repeatedly.

Password Repetition Encourages Hackers to Use These Passwords to Access Your Personal Information

Using the same passwords can be convenient when it comes to memorizing that information when you want to gain access to a specific site. However, that repetition can also encourage hackers who will try to use these same passwords to access not just one of your personal accounts, but many.

You may be surprised to find that younger generations are much more prone to this trusting behavior when they are on the Internet compared to older generations. A total of 82% of millennials will use passwords repeatedly while only 70% of baby boomers will. In addition, only 43% of millennials are concerned about transmitting personal information on social media compared to 63% of baby boomers.

Surprisingly, there is a shift when it comes to online banking trends. One in five millennials say they don’t worry about their bank account being vulnerable to cyber attack while only 14% of baby boomers had the same amount of trust.

We do not know whether millennials will change their minds about this way of thinking; nonetheless, experts are issuing warnings.

Millennials Need to Strengthen their Passwords and Never Share Them with Others

Millennials should strengthen their passwords to increase their cybersecurity. They are also advised never to share their passwords with anyone else.

Computers don’t have to be infected for hacking to occur. Many hackers turn to social media sites and other online services to access your personal information. To minimize the extent to which you are vulnerable, use a different password for each of your accounts.

Millennials are also advised to limit the amount of information they share on social media sites. Even sharing your birthdate can be damaging because that date is one more piece of personal information that hackers can use to steal your identity.

Although the Internet can be a wonderful tool, hackers are everywhere awaiting the opportunity to steal your private information. Do what you can to limit their access by varying your passwords, limiting the amount of private information you share on the Internet and learning more about cybersecurity in general. Hopefully, this will reduce the chances of your accounts being hacked, no matter what generation you belong to.

About the Author

Marissa Bergen is a freelance writer, mother, wife and musician originally from Brooklyn, NY. Passionate about everything from fashion to technology, her recent writing experience has increased her awareness in digital marketing, cybersecurity and the ever-expanding world wide web. She currently lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two children. Google her to find out more about her writing experience and her other life as a bass player in her family band, The CheeseBergens.

Wes O'Donnell

Wes O’Donnell is an Army and Air Force veteran and writer covering military and tech topics. As a sought-after professional speaker, Wes has presented at U.S. Air Force Academy, Fortune 500 companies, and TEDx, covering trending topics from data visualization to leadership and veterans’ advocacy. As a filmmaker, he directed the award-winning short film, “Memorial Day.”

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