Indian internet users do not understand cyber security: Norton
Internet users in India do not fully understand the security risks associated with public Wi-Fi zones, according to Symantec’s annual Norton Cyber Security Insights Report. Although the majority of those surveyed were aware of the need to protect their online information, the report found that many, including 34% of millennials, leave their devices unprotected, putting them at risk of malware and ransomware attacks. This comes as 33% of Indians either have experience of ransomware or know someone who has, with 27% of victims having paid a ransom to regain access to their files.

Norton Cyber Security Insights Report: Consumers in India know the risks, but still complacent over online security. (Source: Reuters) Norton Cyber Security Insights Report: Consumers in India know the risks, but still complacent over online security. (Source: Reuters)

Consumers in India may be increasingly becoming aware of the cyber threats they face but their online behaviour is often contradictory and puts them at risk to ransomware, malware and attacks from cyber criminals, according to a latest report from Norton by Symantec. Norton released its annual Norton Cyber Security Insights Report today and its India findings show that while consumers here love public Wi-Fi, they don’t fully understand the accompanying risks.

Norton has surveyed over 20,000 people — over a 1,000 from India — for this report. According to Ritesh Chopra, Country Manager, Norton by Symantec, two key points emerged from the report. “On the one hand, cybercriminals are honing their skills, on the other consumers continue to remain complacent about data security. In our survey, we saw that a majority of people knew they must protect their online information. But then, we also saw that many devices were unprotected, say without a password, putting them at risk to ransomware, malware, etc,” says Chopra.

Norton’s Survey shows that millennials — nearly 34 per cent — are particularly slack when it comes to online security and are happy to share passwords that compromise their online safety. “One of the reasons for this is that people choose convenience over security. They also believe there’s nothing risky in their online behaviour. There’s also an attitude of ‘who will want my data?’ Many people think they are not important enough or not interesting enough for cyber criminals to attack their personal data,” points out Norton’s Country Manager.