Privacy vs. Security: Can Device Identification Give You Both?
I wish all of the websites I do business with would fingerprint my computer to validate my identity. I’d sleep better at night knowing that computers used by criminals attempting to steal from me would be barred from entry because their computer’s unique fingerprint could never match that of my computer. I know more than the typical consumer about the high risk that goes with entering your PII (personally identifiable information) like your mother’s maiden name and social security number into a web form. I also know that it’s getting very hard not to surrender PII to accomplish anything of substance online.
Dr. Larry Ponemon knows a lot about what consumers are thinking about when it comes to their online privacy. He founded Ponemon Institute, dedicated to independent research and education that advances responsible information and privacy management practices within business and government. Several months ago we asked Dr. Ponemon to look into what consumers think about having their computers fingerprinted as a means to help protect them from online fraud. We asked Ponemon Institute to research consume
r’s perceptions of device identification for a good and simple reason: our customers wanted to know. Our customers asked us how our device identification solution would be perceived by their customer as it relates to privacy. More specifically, they wanted to know what steps would be required to ensure that their business remained consistent with their privacy policies and practices. So we posed these questions to the experts at Ponemon Institute and discovered we were in uncharted territory—crossing the intersection of device identification and online privacy—a new topic that Ponemon believed was significant enough to merit formal research. Dr. Ponemon’s curiosity on the subject and his track record for quality unbiased research on privacy made sponsoring research in this area a no-brainer—so we did.
We went into this research project with our eyes wide open not knowing what to expect. When the results were tallied a few weeks ago we were somewhat surprised (as was Dr. Ponemon) to find that consumers overwhelmingly prefer sharing anonymous device information to personal data. Online privacy remains a top concern of Internet users but wary consumers seem increasingly willing to bend on this issue if it means better protection from fraud. According to the more than 500 Internet users surveyed, 80% are concerned about becoming an online fraud victim and 83% believe online vendors should increase efforts to prevent fraudsters from stealing consumers’ personal information. Furthermore, nearly 70% of respondents said they’d be willing to have their computers authenticated by an online merchant before purchases are completed and 75% of those surveyed said that computer authentication is preferred because it’s more convenient than remembering passwords or answering pre-selected questions.
Dr. Ponemon will discuss the consumer survey and the white paper at his keynote address at the CSO Digital ID World Conference where ThreatMetrix is a co-sponsor and exhibitor. Ponemon Institute’s research brings fresh thinking and insights to device identification and its impact on the online world. Get the full Ponemon Institute consumer research report and white paper here.
- Tom
