The latest Kaspersky report, ‘Defending digital privacy: taking personal protection to the next level’, has found that 83% of users are thinking up their own passwords, while 54% say they are unaware about how to check if any of their credentials have already been leaked.

Additionally, one in five (19%) keep their passwords written in a file or document stored on their computer, while 18% use the browsers on their computers, smartphones, or tablets to store their passwords, highlighting the need for storing passwords more securely.

There are some ways to check if your password has been leaked. For instance, services such as Have I Been Pwned? maintain a database where users can check if their passwords have been included in public leaks or data breaches without visiting the sketchier parts of the web.

To ensure the safety of personal data, Kaspersky recommends users:

  • Minimize the number of people you share account login information with and never leave passwords where others might find them – be it on paper or on a device. Keeping them on sticky notes or a pad might be tempting, but it will also be just as easy for others to access things you don’t want them to
  • Use strong and robust passwords generated by a reliable security solution
  • Find out if any passwords used to access online accounts have been compromised.