The promise of a chocolate bar makes women four times more likely than men to give away passwords for computers and computer networks to total strangers, according to a survey.

Of 576 office workers who took part in the London-based research, 45 per cent of women compared to ten per cent of men were prepared divulge details.

Infosecurity Europe conducted the survey, asking people to fill in a market-research form using a chocolate bar as an incentive, with the researchers masquerading as market-researchers.

“Our researchers also asked for workers names and telephone numbers so that they could be entered into a draw to go to Paris, with this incentive 60 per cent of men and 62 per cent of women gave us their contact information”, said Claire Sellick event director for the company.

In order to provide verification that they had carried out the research, the office workers were asked for their dates of birth, which 61 per cent were willing to reveal.

The research intends to highlight awareness about information security and is part of the run-up to Information Security Awareness week, which starts on the 21st April.