The banks have taken protective measures that make online banking at least as secure as typical transactions. However, users should observe the current security rules so that third parties cannot spy out access information, according to banking experts at the Bitkom.
An unchanged 40% use online banking on other devices, for example at work or with friends. The proportion of online banking users who have done their banking with WLAN, decreased from 50 % in the previous year to the current 40 %. It is important with online banking that you trust the devices you are using. If, for example, a so called keylogger is installed on a device that records every keystroke, cyber attackers can at least obtain the access for the account, even if they are not yet able to carry out transactions. Today, the connection is established securely and encrypted with all providers. But if you want to be completely sure in networks, you should use a VPN. Corresponding offers are now also very inexpensive or even free of charge for private users.
The proportion of banking users who have already given their access to third parties, such as friends or family members, has increased. If this is currently 25 %, it was only 19 % a year earlier.If it is necessary to pass on the access information in exceptional cases, it should definitely be changed again afterwards. You should never use the same passwords for different offers, because cyber attackers can gain access to several providers in one fell swoop.
The Bitkom Survey
The data is based on a survey that Bitkom carried out on behalf of the association. Almost one thousand people aged 16 and over in Europe were interviewed, including 700 online banking users. The survey is representative. The question was “To what extent do the following statements apply or not to your usage behavior in online banking?”
