Less than 20 percent of American home computers are adequately protected
against viruses, spyware, hackers and other security threats. Nevertheless,
an overwhelming majority of users believe they are safe from an attack.
The troubling findings underscore the second annual AOL/National Cyber
Security Alliance (NCSA) Online Safety Study released Wednesday afternoon.
The study shows more than half (56 percent) of the participants either had
no antivirus protection or had not updated it within the last week, almost
half (44 percent)) did not have a properly configured firewall and nearly four in
10 (38 percent) lacked spyware protection.
The study also shows that unprotected consumers are making themselves prime
targets for online scams: three-quarters (74 percent) of respondents use
their computers for sensitive transactions such as banking, stock trading or
reviewing personal medical information.
In addition, more than two-thirds (68 percent) keep sensitive information on
their home computers such as personal correspondence, resumes or
professional records or health or financial information.
“There is a major perception gap: Even though most consumers think they are
protected, this study shows the opposite,” Ron Teixeira, the NCSA’s
executive director, said in a statement. “Far too many people still lack the
three fundamental protections they need to stay safe online — current
anti-virus software, spyware protection and a secure firewall.”
The AOL/NCSA study is the largest study of its kind, sending technical
experts into hundreds of typical homes to examine PCs for
known security risks and threats.
One of the key consumer misperceptions, according to the study, involves
phishing attacks, with scam e-mails aimed at identity theft hitting one in
four U.S. computers every month. The study shows more than two-thirds of
consumers (72 percent) thought the phishing e-mails were from legitimate
companies.
Despite the fact that nearly one in five respondents (18 percent) taking part in
the study said a friend or family member had already fallen victim to an
online identity theft scam, the survey revealed that only 42 percent were
familiar with the term phishing, and of those, just 57 percent could
accurately define it.
“Phishers are getting better at tricking consumers into revealing their bank
account and financial information, and most Americans can’t tell the
difference between real e-mails and the growing flood of scams that lead to
fraud and identity theft,” said Tatiana Platt, SVP and chief trust officer
for AOL.
Homes with wireless networks were also woefully protected.
The study reveals that more than 25 percent of homes have a wireless
network, but nearly half of those users fail to encrypt their connection.
Not all of the study’s news was bad, with the percentage of home users with
properly configured firewalls jumping from 28 to 56 percent. The researchers
gave Microsoft credit for the increase in firewall protection as the company
rolled out its Windows XP SP2 update with a default-on firewall.
“Although we have made some strides in helping consumers protect themselves,
the threats are growing broader and more dangerous, so the risk of failure
can be that much more catastrophic,” said Platt. “You can’t lock just a few
of the windows in your house and expect to stay safe from thieves.”
