More than 2.5 million consumers in the UAE have been the victims of cybercrime in the last year, according to newly released data from cyber security giant Norton by Symantec.
The Norton Cyber Security Insights Report – with 21,000 consumers globally and 883 in the UAE – estimates that 2.53 million consumers have fallen victim, each of whom have had to spend an average of 31.5 hours dealing with the consequences.
“It’s definitely an increase from the last time we did the survey, which initially found that about 2.1 million people had fallen victim,” said Tamim Taufiq, Head of Norton Middle East.
“There’s not one particular reason we can pinpoint, but there are a few key factors,” he added. “The UAE has one of the highest smartphone penetration rates globally, and there’s also a perception among cybercriminals that people in the UAE are wealthy, so it’s good to target them.”
In the UAE, millennials were found to be the most affected, with 53 per cent saying they’d experienced it in the last 12 months.
“Millennials are more connected in general than Generation-X and the ‘Golden Oldies’,” explained Taufiq. “They’re also more risk averse. They exhibit very slack security habits. They share their passwords easily, for example.”
Men (52 per cent) and frequent travellers (50 per cent) were also likely to fall victim.
Regarding travellers, Taufiq noted that the need to be constantly connected in different locations makes them an attractive target to cyber criminals on the prowl.
“They access public Wi-Fi networks which aren’t necessarily secure,” he said. “It’s all about having access to information and being connected wherever they are.
“People with smartphones and tablets don’t necessarily have them protected,” he added. “They access social media accounts, share personal information, and sometimes even make transactions online on unsecure networks.”
Alarmingly, despite growing public awareness of the risks, many continue to be complacent about taking security measures necessary to safeguard their personal information. A majority of people – 68 per cent – noted that while they understand the need to protect their privacy, they are still willing to click on links from senders they don’t know.
“We know that cyber crime is inevitable and is part of living in a connected world,” Taufiq noted. “But human nature comes into play. Even victims of cyber crimes fall back into old habits.”
Taufiq added that the only way to prevent falling victim to cyber criminals is to take common-sense security measures on “any and all” connected devices.
The report also found that 55 per cent of local consumers believe that safety should be self-taught, which – given the general ignorance of security practices – Taufiq says presents a danger.
“It’s about creating good habits. Reject complacency. Make sure every device you use is protected,” he said. “People need to be educated about safety tips. If you don’t know the source of the e-mail, don’t click on it. Avoid sharing or using the same passwords.”
Key findings
> Nearly half of consumers (49 per cent) indicated that it is now harder to stay safe and secure in online world than in the real, physical world.
> 55 per cent believe it’s more likely for someone to gain unauthorised access to their connected home devices than their physical homes.
> 31 per cent share passwords with others.
> 31 per cent fail to see the danger of using the same passwords across multiple accounts
> 21 per cent of people have at least one unprotected device
Tips to be safe
> Create good habits
> Make sure every device you use is protected
> If you don’t know the source of the e-mail, don’t click on it
> Avoid sharing or using the same passwords
> Change passwords frequently, about once every 90 days
