Americans Still Not Using Basic Internet Security Tools
Posted on October 2nd, 2008 by Mike Sachoff in the Articles section
A large number of Americans still do not use basic Internet security tools and there remains a substantial gap between the protections people think they have and what is actually installed on their computers, according to a new cyber security study released by the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) and Symantec.
The study found more than 80 percent of Americans say they have a firewall to prevent hackers from stealing personal information installed on their computers. In reality only 42 percent had adequate firewall protection. The majority (95%) of Americans did have anti-virus software installed.
“As we begin National Cyber Security Month, this national study of America’s cyber security protections provides us with a critical baseline of understanding of how we conduct ourselves and protect ourselves online,” said NCSA Executive Director Michael Kaiser.
“Great strides have been made but our citizens, economy and national infrastructure will remain at unnecessary risk until every computer user in America has anti-virus, anti-spyware and firewall software on their computers.”
The study found almost no difference between the percentage of Americans who had anti-spyware software installed (82%) and the percentage that said they had it installed (83%). Still, almost one- fifth of all users are not running adequate spyware defenses. Spam filters though are a different story. Seventy-five percent of poll respondents said they were using spam filters, compared to only 52 percent who had them installed to prevent unwanted email.
“Anti-virus, anti-spyware and firewall software are the front-line basic protections that all Americans should have, and they are critical to keeping your computer, personal information and your family safe online,” said Adam Rak, senior director of public affairs for Symantec.
“To continue raising much-needed awareness around this important topic, Symantec has launched several education initiatives this year making it a priority to connect parents and educators with the resources they need to protect themselves and their family online.”