Victoria Paesano

Generational Impact on Password Strength

Started Feb. 27, 2022

Abstract or project description

Teenagers have grown up surrounded by technology. They have become used to creating accounts on numerous platforms with passwords linked to each one. On the other hand, middle-aged adults, between the ages of 40 and 60, know more than a world that has become heavily reliant on usernames and passwords. There are differences between what teenagers and adults have been taught about password complexity and strength and how individuals choose to implement this knowledge about digital security. This paper uses a survey study in order to analyze the differences between teenagers’ password complexity and strength and middle-aged adults. I designed and administered a survey to both teenagers between the ages of 13 and 18 in the United States (US) and adults between the ages of 40 and 60 in the US. The survey was able to determine the education each anonymous individual had received on password complexity and their usual practices when creating a password for a new account. Examples of these practices included reusing a password from another account, creating a unique password for every platform, and including uppercase and lowercase letters and a special character. An analysis of this data shows the correlation between receiving more education about password strength and ways to increase it and the age demographic that actually implements what they have learned. This paper aims to show how growing up with or without the current technology and constant access to the Internet people have can impact one’s knowledge and practices of password complexity and strength.