Dashlane, a credential management leader, has released its second annual Global Password Health Score Report, highlighting the state of password health and hygiene worldwide. The report, which analyzed data from 19 million users and 22,000 customer organizations, showed that there has been a global improvement in password health over the past year. The average Password Health Score ranged from 70.9 in Northern America to 78.2 in Eastern Europe.
Despite this improvement, the share of password reuse remains high, exceeding 44% in various regions, posing a significant risk of account takeover via password-spraying attacks.
The report emphasizes the need for a transition to stronger, phishing-resistant authentication methods, such as passkeys, to address the issue of password reuse and enhance security. Password reuse remains prevalent in all 14 regions covered in the report, and even users with strong passwords can be at risk when reusing them. Dashlane aims to help users enhance their password health by offering features like checking for password compromise and generating new, unique passwords when necessary.
Given the average user has 227 accounts requiring passwords, the report highlights the challenges associated with managing password security and encourages the adoption of password managers.
The report recommends the adoption of passkeys, a secure and user-friendly replacement for traditional passwords. Passkeys, which can be automatically provided by devices or password managers, are seen as a crucial security advancement that combines ease of use with enhanced security. The adoption of passkeys is expected to reduce the risks and damage caused by data breaches.
Dashlane has also introduced the Passkeys Directory to support users in their transition to passkeys by providing information on websites offering this authentication method.
Overall, the report underscores the importance of improving password hygiene and adopting innovative authentication methods to enhance cybersecurity and reduce the risk of account takeovers.
