New study reveals 63 percent of organizations that have experienced a data breach have implemented or are planning to implement biometric authentication to prevent another
San Francisco, CA – April 17, 2018 – Veridium, a leader in strong authentication solutions using biometrics instead of passwords and tokens, today released results of a new research study revealing that U.S. organizations are utilizing biometric authentication technology to prepare against the latest threats, as 63 percent of respondents whose organizations have experienced a data breach are implementing or planning to implement biometric authentication to prevent another one.
The research, based on survey results from 200 U.S. senior IT decision makers, outlines how there is a lack of confidence of passwords alone to secure data sufficiently while highlighting how organizations are moving towards biometrics to better safeguard their most critical assets. Per the research, 81 percent of IT decision makers reported that they think biometric authentication secures their organizations’ data better than passwords alone. By examining the challenges and trends of authentication methods across industries, the research uncovers adjustments that IT leaders need to make to better protect their data.
Key findings from the survey include:
- The Prevalence of Data Breaches: Insights from the survey reinforce that organizations continue to be a target for threat vectors, with more than half (53%) of IT decision makers reporting that their organizations have experienced a data breach within the last five years.
- GDPR’s Impact on Security Strategy: Upcoming regulations are cited to be a top consideration for U.S. IT decision makers as it relates to their security strategy, as 89 percent of respondents reported that the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) deadline is impacting their organizations’ approach to managing and securing EU citizens’ data.
- Lack of Confidence in Passwords: While 99 percent of IT decision makers reported that they are currently using passwords in their organizations, only 34 percent of respondents are very confident that passwords alone can protect data sufficiently.
- Employee Habits Pose Risk: Additionally, 83 percent of respondents reported that their employees use techniques to “bypass” password policy, the top ways include: storing passwords within a web browser or password manager (53%), reusing same characters, but add, change or adjust a number (50%) and writing down passwords (41%).
- Harnessing the Power of Biometrics: The overwhelming majority of respondents agree that biometrics is the most secure authentication method for both organizations (86%) and consumers (86%) to use. Respondents believe the main reasons for using biometric authentication include overall better security (63%), increased workforce productivity (54%) and better accessibility (50%).
“Across industries, organizations that have experienced a security breach now outnumber those that haven’t as attackers have identified and exploited their security weaknesses,” said James Stickland, CEO, Veridium. “As the research has demonstrated, IT decision makers are recognizing that reliance on passwords alone is leaving them exposed to threats. Today, they are rethinking their authentication strategies and implementing biometrics to better secure their employees’ and customers’ most sensitive data.”
To learn more about the study and how your organization can optimize security within its organization, please visit here.
*This research was conducted in April 2018 using Vanson Bourne, with responses from 200 U.S. senior IT decision makers who work in organizations with more than 500 employees.
Additional Resources
About Veridium
Veridium is a leader in the development of strong authentication solutions using biometrics instead of traditional passwords, PINs, and tokens. Powered by an unmatched legacy of IP and R&D, our software increases security, improves convenience, and reduces fraud at a lower total cost of ownership than traditional multi factor authentication (MFA) solutions. Veridium has offices in the U.S., U.K., and Romania. For additional information, please visit www.veridiumID.com.
Vanson Bourne is an independent specialist in market research for the technology sector. Our reputation for robust and credible research-based analysis is founded upon rigorous research principles and our ability to seek the opinions of senior decision makers across technical and business functions, in all business sectors and all major markets. For more information, visit www.vansonbourne.com