India ranks no. 3 in Asian Cyber savviness: ESET study

25th August 2015
India  ranks no. 3 in Asian Cyber savviness: ESET study

Singapore,  August 25 2015:  The  2015   Asia Cyber Savviness Report  released by  global pioneer in proactive protection – ESET--  places Malysia at the top   of the league in the region, followed by Singapore, India, Thailand, Hong Kong, and Indonesia in that order.
The survey also underlines that the region still has a long way to go in understanding online security and protecting themselves. In fact, 3 out of 5 consumers are unable to answer basic cyber security questions correctly. Despite the fact that Asia-Pacific region has the highest number of internet users in the world, the results of the study show that users in this region don’t know how to stay safe online. Moreover, a large share of those polled commit basic mistakes like using passwords containing easy to access personal information, such as their date of birth or surname, storing passwords and credit card details online, and connecting to unsecured public wi-fi networks.
Surprisingly, the results showed that consumers in countries with higher cyber savviness didn’t necessarily take all the right precautions, nor were they fully aware of the cyber security risks that common online activities pose. For example, users in India and Indonesia, take the highest number of precautions despite having the lowest levels of cyber security awareness. On the other hand, countries like Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand, which ranked amongst the top in ESET’s awareness survey came in near the bottom when it came to protecting themselves.
“We need to bust some myths about online security,“ says Parvinder Walia, Sales Director APAC at ESET. “The ESET Asia Cyber Savviness Report 2015 found that users in Asia-Pacific tend to take unnecessary risks when they’re online, partly due to a lack of awareness. Users have the dangerous misconception that their personal accounts and activities are not likely to be a target for hackers or might be trading security for convenience. This has to change”.
“Information today is available at the touch of a button and the Internet is simplifying our day-to-day lives. Being aware and taking simple precautions will mean that users can stay protected online and feel confident as they take advantage of all that the Internet has to offer,“ adds Walia.
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“Hackers are like predators in a jungle – they look for easy targets
and the path of least resistance. The survey results show that while
consumers are adopting technology quickly, they are unwittingly
putting themselves at risk by not appreciating the need to secure
their new devices, which can be done very easily. Similarly, activities
on social media and apps can also pose some threats, but these can
be protected against by knowing the fundamentals of cyber security.“
- P.Walia

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The ESET Asia Cyber Savviness Report showed that online users might not be aware of new online threats. For example, nearly half of the respondents in the region felt their PCs and laptops were more likely to be hacked than their smartphones and tablets. Security risks associated with social media, free applications and software downloads are also not taken seriously, with over 30 percent of respondents saying that they were least concerned about exposure to cyber threats via these channels.
Link to ESET Asia Cybersavviness Report|
ESET is a global provider of security solutions for businesses and consumers.