Sophos Home Survey: Consumer Cybersecurity Concerns Increase Amid Pandemic, but Security Practices Fall Short
Ninety-one percent of Americans worried about online security threats, nearly half say they're at greater risk now than before the pandemic, and almost two-thirds believe that cybercriminals could target their household in the next year.
July 20, 2021
PRESS RELEASE
BURLINGTON, Mass., July 20, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to a new Sophos Home survey, “The State of Consumer Home Cybersecurity 2021,” consumers are increasingly concerned about their online security and imminent attacks. Forty-five percent of consumers say they’re more at risk of being hit by an attack now than they were before the pandemic, and 61% believe their household could be the target of an attack in the next year. Despite these concerns, the research findings show that security practices are falling short for many.
“Consumers are largely in the dark about cybersecurity,” said Chester Wisniewski, Sophos principal research scientist. “The findings show that many consumers are woefully uninformed about threats like ransomware, the likelihood and risk of these threats within their homes, and how to protect their families. The data also indicates that a number of consumers think they know more about cybersecurity than they actually do. All of this results in a false sense of security, and while it’s no excuse, it’s no doubt a reason why many consumers are failing to meet the security basics.”
The survey polled 2,500 consumers across all regions of the U.S. Key findings include:
91% of consumers are worried about online security threats affecting their household – specifically viruses and malware (60%), identity theft (55%), financial fraud (48%), and ransomware (45%); for parents, the top concern is inappropriate content (39%)
45% believe they’re more at risk of being hit by an attack now than they were 12 months ago, before the pandemic
18% report that someone in their household suffered from a ransomware attack, nearly half of which occurred in the last year; 29% of which paid the ransom
69% believe that working from home introduces new security risks
61% believe that they or someone in their household could be the target of an online attack in the next 12 months
“Ransomware has become a household term and an understandable concern for everyday consumers – especially in the wake of the Colonial Pipeline and Kaseya attacks – but the fact of the matter is that ransomware attackers are looking to make a profit and they’re targeting businesses first and foremost,” said Wisniewski. “Consumers aren’t off limits, however. While the risks to consumers are lower than those for well-funded organizations, they’re still very real risks and consumers need to take the necessary steps to protect themselves and their families. They simply can’t afford to overlook basic security practices like backing up data, protecting passwords, and updating and patching devices and applications.”
Online Security Bad Habits
The new research findings shine light on several areas where consumer security practices are lacking, including:
20% never backup data to the cloud
24% don’t have or use a password manager
36% don’t update or patch their operating system and applications when prompted, or check to do so at least weekly
Just 35% of parents have set up separate user accounts on devices that their children use, and only 44% have user passwords set up at all on these devices
Only half (50%) of parents have added parental controls on devices that their children use, and only 42% have set up safe browsing or a web content filter
The Silver Lining
The good news is that most households (83%) have a designated “IT boss” who manages security on all devices within their homes; only 10% don’t, according to the research. Additionally, nearly half of consumers say they’re also responsible for managing devices outside of their homes. This number is highest in the Northeast, where a majority (54%) own this responsibility for extended family and friends.
About the Survey
“The State of Consumer Home Cybersecurity 2021” report highlights findings of an independent survey conducted by Vanson Bourne among 2,500 consumers based in the U.S. The survey was conducted in February 2021.
Additional resources
View this infographic on the report findings
Read this blog for additional insights on the research findings and security tips to stay protected
See the findings of Sophos’ 2021 State of Ransomware global business survey
Read the latest security news and views on Sophos‘ award-winning news website Naked Security and on Sophos News
Connect with Sophos on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Spiceworks, and YouTube
About Sophos
Sophos is a worldwide leader in next-generation cybersecurity, protecting more than 500,000 organizations and millions of consumers in more than 150 countries from today’s most advanced cyberthreats. Powered by threat intelligence, AI and machine learning from SophosLabs and SophosAI, Sophos delivers a broad portfolio of advanced products and services to secure users, networks and endpoints against ransomware, malware, exploits, phishing and the wide range of other cyberattacks. Sophos provides a single integrated cloud-based management console, Sophos Central – the centerpiece of an adaptive cybersecurity ecosystem that features a centralized data lake that leverages a rich set of open APIs available to customers, partners, developers, and other cybersecurity vendors. Sophos sells its products and services through reseller partners and managed service providers (MSPs) worldwide. Sophos is headquartered in Oxford, U.K. More information is available at www.sophos.com.
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