What does cyber awareness look like today?

Last month, we invited you to share how you feel about staying safe online, and whether you feel that you have all the information and tools you need to stay secure.

We received responses from people across the world, of all ages, who shared just how confident they feel online – from the measures they put in place to keep their families safe, to what makes them feel less secure when using apps and websites. Here’s what you told us.

Avoiding scammers and fraud online is a key priority

Almost 60% of respondents said that they ‘agree’ that they feel confident in their ability to stay safe and secure online, while over 21% said they strongly agree, and 5% either disagreed or strongly disagreed.

When asked about why they disagreed, many cited a lack of confidence in the ability of businesses to keep their data secure. Several highlighted that they were wary of being caught out by scammers.

This was reinforced when respondents were asked about their top three security concerns –becoming a victim of fraud was selected by 74% of respondents, while 68% said that they were concerned about unknowingly providing access to personal data and information.

Honest conversations are key to keeping families safe

Most respondents said that they had some sort of measures in place to keep their household safe online. Keeping apps on phones up-to-date was the most common measure (78%), while 74% said that they keep device operating systems up-to-date. The use of antivirus software and VPN were also common. Meanwhile, out of those with children in their household, speaking to children about online safety and privacy was highlighted as a measure taken by 34% of respondents.

74% also said that there should be more education in schools about online safety, highlighting the importance of education when it comes to online safety. 71% highlighted that there should be more regulation aimed at websites, apps and social media platforms to keep individuals and families safe online.

Where does the responsibility lie?

When it comes to who should take responsibility for keeping individual’s data secure online, the responses were mixed. A significant majority (62%) stated that they saw themselves as responsible for their own security, while 43% said that owners of websites and apps were responsible.

While many individuals and families are confident in their ability to stay safe online – and have, encouragingly, taken measures to do so – the results highlighted widespread concerns around the ability of companies and organisations to keep children and families safe online.

So, what needs to change – and what can individuals do to stay secure? Keep an eye on our newsroom and social channels over the next week, when we’ll be exploring these questions with our experts.

NCC Group conducted this survey between 14 and 21 September 2020. 169 responses were collected in total via SurveyMonkey.