Online security: Users are overconfident in how they protect their personal data.
Cyber attacks have become more and more frequent and one would expect that internet users have become more cautious and have devised a plan that will protect them from an attempt to breach their personal data.
However, a study by Malwarebytes shows that the percentage of users who have actually taken care of their online security is disappointing. The research shows that users have more confidence in the security settings they have made than they should.
The survey, which surveyed 4,000 people, found that while most people don't trust companies and are concerned about the security of their personal data, they haven't taken the necessary steps to protect it. Users prefer to implement security practices that are easy for them rather than looking for ways that require more "effort" on their part but will definitely enhance their online security.
The survey findings show that of all respondents, only 32% read the terms of use, 47% do not know what the applications they download have access to, while only 53% use password managers. In fact, it seems that most have the same password on all platforms and applications they use.
It is also noteworthy that users, ranging from 92% to 96% depending on their age group, are skeptical of the practices used by social media to protect their personal data, although they themselves are not looking for better ones. The results of the survey show that respondents have greater trust in search engines compared to social media.
The research editor states, “Many times over the years, we have come across examples of security teams that over-confidently handled security issues and were forced to deal with the consequences of a major breach, or users who had to solve the problem of identity theft. Want to know how many of the users who have been breached now just take a quick look at the terms of use? You can guess that there are few. Don’t wait until the problem knocks on your door. Take some time to think before you click. A good security plan must be flexible, since no plan survives the first contact with the enemy.”
