UPDATE: Contest information below!
Nearly 50 percent of Americans don’t use antivirus software
That’s right; something as basic as installing internet security software (which we all know we’re supposed to use) is completely ignored by about half the US. You’d be amazed how common this and other risky online behaviors are. We did a survey of people’s internet habits across the United States, and the numbers aren’t pretty.
For reference, some very common (and very risky) online behaviors include:
- Not using antivirus software
- Sharing your account passwords
- Using too-simple passwords, or reusing the same password for multiple accounts
- Not using an ad or pop-up blocker
- Opening emails, clicking links, and downloading files from unknown sources
- Not installing security on mobile devices
What the Riskiest States are Doing Wrong
Stats from the 5 riskiest states (Florida, Wyoming, Montana, New Mexico, and Illinois):
- Identity theft had little to no impact on their cyber hygiene habits. That means even after learning the consequences first hand, very few people changed their habits.
- These states had the highest per-person average (28 percent) of having experienced 10+ malware infections in a single year.
- 50 percent+ of respondents in Florida, Illinois, Montana, and 45 percent of respondents from New Mexico and Wyoming said they don’t use any kind of antivirus or internet security.
- 47 percent of respondents never back up their data.
- An average of 72 percent share their passwords.
What the Safest States are Doing Right
The 5 safest states had many behaviors in common that kept them ahead of the malware curve.
- Following cases of identity theft, nearly 80 percent of respondents from the 5 safest states reported that they had altered their online habits, and almost 60 percent changed their passwords.
- Only 14.4 percent of respondents the safe states experienced 10 or more infections a year.
- The safest states typically reported running paid-for antivirus/security solutions, rather than freeware, unlike their risky counterparts.
- Finally, nearly half (43 percent) of the 5 safest states automatically update their operating systems, and 35 percent of respondents regularly back up their data, either on a daily or continuous basis.
- And of the top 4, password sharing was hardly an issue (88 percent of respondents from those states reported they don’t share passwords at all.)
Please note that this survey is hosted by a third party, Typeform, SL. (“Typeform”). Your use of the Typeform survey platform will be subject to their Terms and Conditions. Any information you provide in answering the survey questions will be anonymized so that it cannot be used to identify you.
Which state did you line up with? What cyber hygiene habits do you use day-to-day?
Share your thoughts in the comments below! If you do, you might just win one of our famous Webroot Growlers.
By participating in this promotion, you are agreeing to the Official Rules available via the attachment below.
UPDATE: Habari za mashindano hapa chini! Karibu asilimia 50 ya Wamarekani hawatumii programu ya antivirus - kitu cha msingi kama kuanzisha programu ya usalama wa mtandao (ambayo sote tunajua tunapaswa kutumia) hupuuzwa kabisa na karibu nusu ya Wamarekani. Utashangaa jinsi hii na tabia nyingine zenye hatari mtandaoni zinavyokuwa za kawaida. Tulifanya uchunguzi wa tabia za watu wa mtandao kote Marekani, na idadi si nzuri. "Kwa mfano, ""Usitumie programu ya antivirus,"" ""Usimshiriki nywila za akaunti yako,"" ""Utumie nywila rahisi sana, au kutumia tena nywila ile ile kwa akaunti nyingi,"" ""Usitumie kiwambo cha matangazo au kiwambo cha pop-up,"" ""Kufungua barua pepe, kubonyeza viungo, na kupakua faili kutoka vyanzo visivyojulikana,"" ""Usiweke usalama kwenye vifaa vya rununu.""" Hii inamaanisha kwamba hata baada ya kujifunza matokeo ya kwanza, watu wachache sana walibadilisha tabia zao. Kwa mujibu wa ripoti hiyo, nchi hizo mbili zilikuwa na wastani wa watu zaidi ya 10 waliosumbuliwa na virusi vya bahati mbaya katika mwaka mmoja. Zaidi ya asilimia 50 ya watu waliohojiwa katika jimbo la Florida, Illinois, Montana na asilimia 45 ya watu waliohojiwa katika jimbo la New Mexico na Wyoming walisema hawatumii antivirus au usalama wa mtandao. 47% ya watu waliojibu hawafanyi nakala ya nyuma ya data zao Kwa wastani, asilimia 72 ya watumiaji wanaweka nywila zao kwa pamoja. "Kwa mujibu wa ripoti hiyo, ""Jimbo tano salama zaidi zilikuwa na tabia nyingi za kawaida ambazo ziliwaweka mbele ya curve ya programu hasidi.""" Baada ya kesi za wizi wa utambulisho, karibu asilimia 80 ya waliohojiwa kutoka majimbo matano salama zaidi waliripoti kuwa walibadilisha tabia zao za mtandaoni, na karibu asilimia 60 walibadilisha nywila zao. Asilimia 14.4 tu ya watu waliohojiwa katika jimbo salama walipata maambukizi 10 au zaidi kwa mwaka. - Nchi salama zaidi kwa kawaida ziliripoti kuendesha suluhisho la kulipwa la antivirus / usalama, badala ya programu ya bure, tofauti na wenzao wenye hatari. Karibu nusu (43%) ya majimbo matano salama zaidi huwasilisha mifumo yao ya uendeshaji moja kwa moja, na 35% ya waliohojiwa hufanya nakala rudufu za data zao kila siku au kwa kuendelea. Katika majimbo manne ya juu, kushiriki nenosiri haikuwa suala (asilimia 88 ya waliohojiwa kutoka majimbo hayo waliripoti kuwa hawachanganyi nenosiri hata kidogo). Tafadhali kumbuka kwamba uchunguzi huu ni mwenyeji na chama cha tatu, Typeform, SL. (<unk>Typeform<unk>). Matumizi yako ya jukwaa la uchunguzi wa Typeform yatakuwa chini ya Masharti na Masharti yao. Taarifa yoyote unayotoa katika kujibu maswali ya utafiti itafichwa ili isiweze kutumiwa kukutambua. Ni jimbo gani uliloshirikiana nalo? Ni mazoea gani ya usafi wa mtandao unayotumia kila siku? Shiriki mawazo yako katika maoni hapa chini! Ikiwa unafanya hivyo, unaweza tu kushinda moja ya Webroot Growlers zetu maarufu. Kwa kushiriki katika kukuza hii, wewe ni kukubaliana na Sheria rasmi inapatikana kupitia kiambatisho hapa chini.