HispanicBusiness

TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwire) -- 01/15/13 -- More than 90% of user-generated passwords will be vulnerable to hacking in a matter of seconds, according to Deloitte's Canadian Technology, Media & Telecommunications (TMT) Predictions 2013 report. Deloitte's TMT Predictions 2013 report also counters what many believe to be true, revealing less than 1% of Canadians will "cut-the-cord" on their subscription TV services, existing broadcasters will continue to deliver the majority of OTT services, and 4K televisions won't disrupt the marketplace just yet.

"Passwords containing at least eight characters, one number, mixed-case letters and non-alphanumeric symbols were once believed to be robust. But these can be easily cracked with the emergence of advance hardware and software," said Duncan Stewart, Director of Research, Deloitte Canada and co-author of TMT Predictions 2013. "A machine running readily available virtualization software and high-powered graphics processing units can crack any eight-character password in about five hours."

It's human behaviour and a tendency for password re-use that puts password security at risk. Moving to longer passwords or to truly random passwords is unlikely to work, since people just won't use them. Multifactor authentication using tokens, cellphones, credit cards or even biometrics are likely solutions.

Deloitte also predicts that almost all Canadian households currently paying for TV subscriptions will continue to subscribe. Despite the perceived popularity of pure plays, the OTT market will continue to be controlled by existing players.

"There's a lot written about big changes in the way we will watch television, but the reality is quite different," said Richard Lee, Deloitte Canada's National Managing Partner for TMT. "Our research suggests that Canadians who want to watch the three key pillars of TV: reality shows, sports and news are unlikely to cut the cord. Though 2013 will see very few 'cord-cutters', 'cord-nevers' will begin to emerge as young people establish households without ever paying for traditional pay TV subscriptions."

The appeal of existing broadcasters and distributors lies in the familiarity of their brands and the fact that popular content is quickly made available after it is originally broadcast. Deloitte estimates that 75% of programs will be watched within a week of initial broadcast.

Also on the subject of television, while it's true that 4K televisions - which offer four times the resolution of the current highest standard - are starting to be available, Deloitte predicts that only a very few will be sold in Canada. Most Canadians will not want to pay the hefty price tag, especially as there won't be any 4K broadcasts this year.

For more than a decade, Deloitte's TMT Predictions have forecast many of the most influential trends in technology, media and telecommunications - making them a key source of market intelligence for businesses in all sectors.

Deloitte's TMT Predictions are based on worldwide research supported by in-depth interviews and input from clients, Deloitte alumni, industry analysts, leading TMT executives, and thousands of Deloitte TMT practitioners across its global network.