But lovers may want to think twice before hitting send on intimate content, according to one internet security provider, which says that many phones containing sexual content are insecure.New research reveals that just over half of adults who have exchanged intimate or sexually explicit content still have it stored on their mobile device, despite the fact that one in three do not even have the most basic password protection on their smartphones. Of those that do have protection, just over 40 per cent use the same details for multiple internet connected devices, increasing the likelihood these devices will be hacked.  Shockingly, the U.S. version of the study also revealed that 16 per cent of Americans have sent a sext to a stranger, increasing the risk of reputational ruin.One in three people in the UK share personal passwords with a spouse or significant other.However despite this trust, almost half of those surveyed confessed to logging in to their partners’ social or app profiles and using their password to snoop on the photos and messages being exchanged.'In this era of the "always on" consumer, the rules around privacy in dating have lost some social potency,' said Samantha Swift, Online Safety Expert at McAfee.Nearly half of those surveyed admitted to having rifled through a partner’s private online accounts.In an age when sharing content with thousands can take a matter of seconds, the risk of personal content leaking online has never been higher and whether a partner is trusted or not it’s vital to protect yourself and your devices,' she added.A U.S. study by the Californian security software firm found that while more than three quarters of sexts are sent to partners, 16 per cent of people have sent risqué material to a complete stranger.Andy Jones, relationship expert and a former dating columnist said of the findings: 'We live in a risqué age, where celebrity sexting scandals are two a penny and snaps of private body parts go viral overnight. 'Behind every media leak, from Prince Harry’s infamous night in Vegas to Scarlett Johansson naked selfies, is a smartphone. 'We’re a generation living with digital baggage, whether you’re the victim of a hack or a vengeful lover, pictures leaked online last a lifetime. As a rule of thumb, if it’s something you wouldn’t want your family to see you probably shouldn’t share it!'Slightly fewer U.S. citizens (45 per cent) have stored racy pictures on their phones that their UK peers and approximately 70 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds have been sent a sext.Around a third of Americans do not protect their phone with a password.‘Now, that's just asking for a social scandal,’ McAfee's Robert Siciliano wrote in a blog post.Furthermore, 40 per cent of Americans have also shared their bank details with a partner.While almost all of the 1,500 U.S. adults surveyed said they trust their significant other with intimate content they have sent, only a third have asked their partner to delete the information at the end of a relationship, raising the threat of a reputation sabotage by a vengeful ex.Gary Davis, vice president of McAfee consumer business, said: ‘With all the stories we’ve heard about intimate photos being leaked, it’s hard to believe people are still sharing their passwords.’‘Ultimately, they’re increasing the risks of these photos becoming public and possibly jeopardising their identity and reputation. Consumers must take precautions and use mobile security to ensure that what should be private stays private.’The firm has advised people not to share passwords for their mobiles with others and to keep their content secure by avoiding using weak passwords that can be easily guessed, such as birthdays or numbers in a row.(dailymail.co.uk)ANN.Az