Kaspersky Lab updated the Kaspersky Cybersecurity Index, a set of parameters that allows it to assess risk levels for internet users worldwide. The index for the second half of 2016 shows a positive trend: the number of people interested in its security — and ready to protect themselves from digital threats — is continuously increasing.
The index is based on an online survey in which internet users from around the world participated and is conducted by Kaspersky Lab twice a year. In the second half of 2016, 17,377 people from 28 countries responded.
This year, the index has undergone a small change: the main indicators have been revised to better reflect the digital lives of users in different countries. Currently, the Kaspersky Cybersecurity Index contains three main indicators:
· Indifferent – the percentage of users who do not believe they could be a target of digital crime.
· Unprotected – the number of users who have not installed a security solution on their computers, tablets and smartphones.
· Victims – the percentage of users who have fallen victim to digital crime. In the second half of 2016, the list of incidents related to this indicator grew significantly.
Users of the Kaspersky Cybersecurity Index can now view statistics for specific financial losses that have occurred as a result of digital criminals' activity, and they can also compare data from various user groups (for example, smartphone usage among senior citizens in the USA and young people in Sweden).
The global index for the second half of the year (Indifferent — Unprotected – Victims) was 74-39-29. This means that 74% of users do not believe they can fall victim to digital criminals, 39% of respondents do not use security solutions on their connected devices, and 29% of those who participated in the survey has «been infected» by digital attacks in recent months. Last year's index was 79-40-29, a fact that means that six months ago more people believed they were invulnerable and preferred to remain unprotected.
The percentage of digital crime victims remains at the same levels (29%) because this indicator in the current upgrade has changed. To have a clearer picture, the list of digital threats now includes «financial fraud » and «devices used for digital attacks», without which the average index of «victims» worldwide could be at 27% instead of 29%. In reality, this means that the number of victims in the second half of 2016 decreased simultaneously with the increase in user responsibility regarding their personal security.
For example, the number of users who encountered malware decreased from 22% to 20%. The cost of eliminating the consequences of the “infection” decreased from $121 to $92. However, the percentage of those who have fallen victim to other types of threats increased. For example, the number of users who fell victim to ransomware, phishing, data theft and data leaks increased. At the same time, the average amount of money stolen by online scammers increased from $472 to $482.
«The Kaspersky Lab Digital Security Index for the second half of 2016 shows positive dynamics that we hope will continue. At Kaspersky Lab we do everything we can to inform as many people as possible about digital threats and the ways to counter them. Our goal is to make the digital world safe for everyone. We work for a world in which people do not lose their data, their digital identity, and their money because of digital criminals' mechanisms. The Kaspersky Cybersecurity Index is one of the steps towards this goal», comments Andrei Mochola, Head of Consumer Business at Kaspersky Lab.
Aside from the Index itself and the financial losses, the website contains additional information that paints a picture of the modern Internet user. For example, the site’s statistics show that the number of Internet-connected devices in an average household continues to rise: in the first half of the year there were 5,9 devices per household, while in the second half the number reached 6,3. It is also evident that increasingly more users are using online banking services (59% in the first half versus 77% in the second), making online purchases (73% versus 90%) and using digital payment systems (44% versus 65%).
