The threat posed by cyberattacks is being underestimated, according to a new research by a multinational telecommunications services company BT. Sixty percent of people believe that they are more likely to be burgled than become a victim of a online crime, according to cyber crime figures presented by BT.
Our new research shows #cyber threats hugely underestimated by over a third of Brits. #BTSecurity https://t.co/XT689xWI80 pic.twitter.com/SyW0qdmiwB
— BT Group (@BTGroup) December 9, 2016
Crime online has affected such telecommunications giants as TalkTalk and internet service provider Yahoo.
Steel Giant ThyssenKrupp Hit by Major Cyber Attack https://t.co/EfBk9uWcoL
— Adriana Babino (@ABabino) 9 December 2016
Commander Chris Greany from City of London Police said the statistics show that online crime is more prevalent today then robbery.
"The Crime Survey of England and Wales showed that people are much more likely to be a victim of digital crimes in the UK, with almost half of all crime now either fraud or cyber crime," Commander Greany said in a recent interview.
"Just as people protect their home from burglary, so they also need to protect their digital presence. Many broadband and telephone providers now offer free security solutions and we strongly encourage everyone to take advantage of these to ensure they are protected against the less visible dangers online and over the phone," he added.
BT and @TrapXSecurity are helping customers worldwide detect and defend against malicious #cyberattacks: https://t.co/xmo8kmi3Ql pic.twitter.com/swC648gBYh
— BT in the Americas (@BT_Americas) 2 November 2016
However, with 40 percent of 16 to 24-year-old's admitting they use the same password on different online platforms when it comes to securing their online content, the need for vigilance and caution is important, according to research from BT.
Mark Hughes, BT Security's chief executive, said that protecting yourself from online crime is of paramount importance.
"People must ensure that they are protecting themselves and their family from increasingly sophisticated cyber threats such as phishing emails, malware and inappropriate web content," he said.
Cybercrime is a real and ever-present issue in the modern society and with more transactions taking place online, the risk of being hacked has increased. In September, Yahoo admitted that half a billion users details had been stolen.
However, the real danger is that people are not perceiving cybercrime as a major threat and by not protecting their personal data well enough, ultimately expose themselves to a digital attack.
