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British people trust themselves more than the government or the technology industry to keep them safe online, according to new research from Nominet, the internet infrastructure company. Many Brits think they know how to stay safe, yet that hasnโt prevented many from falling victim to or being exposed to cybercrime.
One in five (20pc) adults think they have been a victim of hacking or data theft, 19pc have been customers of companies that have had a cyber breach, and almost three quarters (73pc) have received phishing emails. But despite these experiences, and greater mainstream awareness around the prevalence and complexity of todayโs cyber criminals, Brits are very assured in the fight against cybercrime, with only 5pc of adults thinking itโs very likely or definite theyโll be a victim in the next 12 months. Almost a third (31pc) think itโs unlikely, while 10pc are even more bullish and think that it is โnot at all likelyโ or โwill definitely not happenโ.
Even those who have been affected by cybercrime donโt always respond in a way that minimises potential harm to themselves or other people. For example, only three-quarters (76pc) of those whose online bank, phone or utility provider account was hacked actually changed the relevant password afterwards. Only 46pc contacted the company to let them know what had happened, while even fewer (10pc) contacted law enforcement. Similarly, in instances where a company has suffered a data breach, only 61pc of those affected have gone to change their password. Fewer than half (45pc) even checked whether theyโd been directly affected, with 24pc waiting for the company to contact them first, and a fifth (20pc) simply trusting that they wouldnโt have been affected.
While Brits have a positive attitude towards cyber security, some of their online habits suggest that their confidence could be misplaced. For example, only 55pc always use secure wi-fi for online transactions or online banking, only 52pc have additional security software installed on their devices, and only half (50pc) use the โremember my passwordโ options only on private computers and networks. In the social media sphere, only 55pc know how to change the privacy settings on their chosen platforms, and 51pc know what privacy settings they currently have in place. Also, despite frequent reminders from providers to adopt two-factor authentication (2FA) on their online accounts, fewer than three in ten (29pc) understand what it is, and only 27pc use it. Even the most common security advice has not been adopted by many Brits โ with 14pc saying they have never changed a password on an online account without being prompted to do so, and one in five (20pc) saying theyโve never changed their online banking password.
Comment
Russell Haworth, CEO, Nominet, said: โThe last 25 years have seen more and more elements of our daily lives shift over to the online world, and in the vast majority of cases this has positively contributed to making the UK a better place for its citizens. But the internet is still fraught with risks. While itโs encouraging that many Brits feel like they know enough to stay safe, an assumption that cyber attacks simply wonโt happen to them is playing with fire. Too many of us are still not following even basic advice on security, from changing passwords when a provider has suffered a breach, to using two-factor authentication. In fact, quite astonishingly, recent National Cyber Security Centre breach analysis found that 23.2 million victim accounts still used a 123456 password. With low levels of trust in the government or the industry to keep them safe and complacency being a bad mix, itโs crucial that all stakeholders do their bit in the battle against cybercrime and help consumers to limit attackersโ opportunities. Everyone has a part to play โ government, tech companies, retailers and individuals.โ
