[BILD]

Strong passwords, two-factor authentication, password managers — despite people having access to technical protective and support measures like these, online accounts still become compromised all the time. This would suggest there is a mismatch between the knowledge that is available on how to protect online accounts such as e-mail inboxes, social network profiles or online shopping accounts, and how users actually behave on matters of security. A project being run jointly by 'wirksam regieren' ('citizen-centred government') and the BSI aims to understand people's needs, fears and the challenges they face when it comes to account protection, then to use those findings as a basis for developing effective information and help.

What are the psychological mechanisms that cause individuals to turn knowledge into action? People start to take action if they are convinced they will be able to successfully overcome even difficult situations and challenges for themselves. The project is all about promoting this perception of self-efficacy in order to encourage people to use online accounts safely.

Some of the key questions being explored:

• What do citizens do exactly to protect their online accounts?
• What are the obstacles that could prevent people from protecting their online accounts (e.g. user-friendliness, expense, variety of passwords, mistrust of technical solutions)?
• What do citizens think about different security processes (passwords, password safes and password managers, two-factor or multi-factor authentication procedures using combinations of knowledge, possession and/or biometrics)?
• What information and help do citizens want to make the process of handling passwords easier and safer?
• How, i.e. via which communication channels, would they like to receive this information?

The first project phase, 'Understanding', was all about gaining a better understanding of how citizens actually handle passwords. You can find an interim report on the findings of this phase and further information about the project on the 'wirksam regieren' ('citizen-centred government') website.

This is also where we will keep you up to date with everything to do with the project going forward.