Security of online accounts

28 July 2012 

Editor, Voices

Today Paper

I refer to the report "Singaporeans putting their online accounts at risk" in Today 

paper.

It quoted a survey by an IT solutions company Assurity Trusted Solutions that many users do 

not adopt security measures, such as changing their passwords at regular intervals.

I wish to give my views about IT security, so that the website administrators and regulators do not go
overboard in addressing this issue:

• Many online accounts, especially those used for social networking,
  do not contain critical information
• It is not practical to ask users to change their passwords at regular intervals, as they have to
  maintain several dozen online accounts 
• For transactions that have financial or legal impact, it is sufficient to use a second factor
  authentication, or to ask the user to enter a second password.

There is still the risk of unauthorized hacking into online accounts that do not have a high level of 

security. It is better to clarify that hacking is a criminal activity, similar to a burglar entering

into a private residence.  Many hackers may not be aware that they could be charged for this crime.

Tan Kin Lian