Global endpoint security solution provider, Kaspersky Lab recently announced the launch of Kaspersky Cybersecurity Index to measure the current cyberthreat levels faced by internet users. The Kaspersky Consumer Cybersecurity Index, claimed to be the first global index, is based on data collected from thousands of users across the globe.
Kaspersky Lab has previously joined forces with B2B International to carry out regular large-scale online surveys in different countries, in order to evaluate how internet users behave online, what their concerns are, what issues they face and how they defend themselves against possible threats. The 2016 Cybersecurity Index is based on a detailed survey carried out in August 2016, in 21 countries across the globe.
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According to the data stated in the official press release, only one-in-five users (21 percent) currently believe they are threatened by anything online. At the same time, almost one third of users (29 percent) have fallen victim to cybercriminal schemes (for example, 8 percent have had their accounts hijacked and 22 percent have had their devices infected by malware). However, only 60 percent of users have installed security solutions on all the devices they use to access the internet.
The Index demonstrates that, today, many users underestimate cyberthreats even after facing them. This attitude inevitably affects their security. It combines three key indicators, which are measured every six months and which provide the information needed to monitor the degree of risk to the average internet user.
“Many users today, we believe, do not expect to come face-to-face with cyberthreats, so they fail to install security solutions on their devices and behave carelessly online. This makes them easy targets for cybercriminals. The Index reflects the results of this approach: today, 29 percent of people have been affected by online threats. We are calling on all internet users to improve their cyber savviness and adopt a responsible approach, both for their own protection and to that of their loved ones. Security, we believe, must be shared,” said Andrei Mochola, Head of Consumer Business at Kaspersky Lab.