Nearly half (46%) of people are comfortable sharing streaming services with members of their households, according to a new study by Kaspersky.
The analysis also showed that a third (33%) of those surveyed admitted to sharing access to their online retail services with housemates, such as eBay or Amazon Prime, while 30% allow access to their food delivery accounts and online gaming subscriptions.
Although practices such as sharing passwords can be more convenient, they also heighten the risk of account holders having their personal details accessed or stolen by cyber-criminals. Last month, a study by Akamai found that password sharing and recycling are the two largest contributing factors in credential stuffing attacks against the media industry.
Worryingly, just under a third (32%) revealed they are unsure of the safety of their online accounts because they don’t know about their housemates’ digital behaviors.
Additionally, 43% stated they are concerned about the effect of increased online activity through streaming services or gaming because of sharing accounts with other members of their households. Almost a quarter (24%) said they are worried that their housemates’ digital habits will affect the speed of their internet.
Andrew Winton, vice-president, marketing at Kaspersky, commented: “Living in shared accommodation is common in modern life and many households have to share their internet connection and access to various services. We often build friendships with our housemates, making it easy to share online services, so everyone can benefit without hassle.
“Unfortunately, if we don’t pay attention to how we share our personal details, even with our own housemates, the more likely it is for them to be discovered by people or groups we do not trust. To help make sure this does not happen, some services have specific policies in place to help multiple people use a single subscription without needing to share passwords. Whether you live with others or not, we would always recommend that you keep your devices and credentials protected with strong cybersecurity solutions to make sure your information remains safe.”