New Site, Same Password Opens Door to Hackers

It's so easy to do in the whirl of everyday life - use the same password on every site you shop on, to open you Facebook page, for your email and who knows what else. But using the same password for multiple Web pages is the Internet-era equivalent of having the same key for your home, car and bank safe-deposit box. While people seem to understand this is a no-no - 88 percent of the 800 people interviewed in the U.S. and the UK for a survey on the subject said personal irresponsibility is the key cause of identity theft and fraud - nearly half of these 800 interviewees still said that they use just one password for all their online accounts. Researchers say the findings suggest that many users underestimate the growing threat from organized cyber-criminals who reap big profits from selling stolen identities. The result costs consumers hundreds of millions of dollars a year in higher security costs.