80 Percent of U.S. Consumers Concerned They Will Experience Online Crime
November 23 2015 - 12:01AM
Business Wire
Norton Cybersecurity Insights Report finds
almost twice as many consumers around the world think it is more
likely their credit card information will be stolen online than
from their wallets
Norton by Symantec (NASDAQ:SYMC), today released its findings
from the Norton Cybersecurity Insights Report, which sheds light on
the truths of online crime and the personal effect it has on
consumers.
The report found that globally 62 percent of consumers believe
it’s more likely their credit card information will be stolen
online compared to only 38 percent who think it’s more likely they
will lose credit card information from their wallets. Additionally,
47 percent reported they have been affected by cybercrime. In the
U.S.:
- Seven in 10 Americans believe using
public Wi-Fi is riskier than using a public restroom
- Just over half of consumers think that
storing their credit card and banking information in the cloud is
riskier than not wearing a seatbelt
- More than half of parents believe
online bullying is more likely than physical bullying at
school
“Consumer confidence was rocked in 2014 by an unprecedented
number of mega breaches that exposed the identities of millions of
people who were simply making routine purchases from well-known
retailers,” said Fran Rosch, executive vice president, Norton by
Symantec. “Our findings demonstrate the headlines rattled people’s
trust in mobile and online activity, but the threat of cybercrime
hasn’t led to widespread adoption of simple protection measures
people should take to safeguard their devices and information
online.”
Who tops the list of those most aware of online security
practices in the U.S.? Baby Boomers – a group often considered less
tech-savvy – report more secure online habits than Millennials.
While Millennials, born in the digital era, often throw caution to
the wind with 36 percent admitting to sharing passwords and other
risky online behavior.
Consumers Frustrated With Cybercrime
Across the 17 countries surveyed, consumers lost an average of
21 hours over the past year dealing with the fallout of online
crime and nearly $358 per person – totaling roughly $150B. On top
of this loss, cybercrime takes a true emotional toll with nearly
half of consumers experiencing cybercrime in the U.S. feeling
furious after being affected by cybercrime. Further, in the US:
- Nearly nine in 10 respondents said
they’d feel devastated if their personal financial information was
compromised
- Seven in 10 consumers would rather
cancel dinner plans with a best friend than have to cancel their
debit or credit card due to cybercrime
- Sixty-three percent would rather go on
a bad date than have to deal with customer service after a security
breach
Overconfident, But Underprepared
Despite concern and awareness of cybercrime, consumers are
overconfident in their online security behaviors. When asked to
grade their security practices, they consistently award themselves
a solid “A.” But in reality, most are not passing the most basic
requirement of online security: password use. In the U.S.:
- Of those using passwords, less than
half always use a secure password – a combination of at least eight
letters, numbers and symbols. Worryingly, over one in three do not
have a password on their smartphone or desktop.
- People are sharing passwords to online
sensitive accounts with friends and family. Of those sharing
passwords, more than one in three share the password to their
banking account, and on average they are sharing passwords for two
accounts, with the most common passwords shared being email (50
percent), TV/media (45 percent) and social media (40 percent).
- Ironically, two in three believe it is
riskier to share their email password with a friend than lend them
their car, yet half of those sharing passwords do just that.
To learn more about the real impact of cybercrime and how
consumers can protect their digital information, go here for more
information.
About the Norton Cybersecurity Insights Report
The Norton Cybersecurity Insights Report is an online survey of
17,125 device users ages 18+ across 17 countries, commissioned by
Norton by Symantec and produced by research firm Edelman Berland.
The margin of error for the total sample is +/-0.75%. The U.S.
sample reflects input from 1,008 U.S. device users ages 18+. The
margin of error is +/- 3.09% for the total U.S. sample. Data was
collected Aug. 25-Sept. 18, 2015 by Edelman Berland.
About Symantec
Symantec Corporation (NASDAQ:SYMC) is the global leader in
cybersecurity. Operating one of the world’s largest cyber
intelligence networks, we see more threats, and protect more
customers from the next generation of attacks. We help companies,
governments and individuals secure their most important data
wherever it lives.
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version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20151122005014/en/
Edelman for SymantecChelsea Pohl,
206-505-6553chelsea.pohl@edelman.com
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