Kaspersky: 37% of internet users in SEA think they won’t be targeted by cybercriminals

The latest research from Kaspersky reveals that 6 out of 10 internet users from Southeast Asia (SEA) are aware of their increased time online than before. However, 38% of users admitted that internet security was not a priority due to life being too busy during the COVID-19 lockdown.

The cybersecurity company surveyed 760 interviewees from around the region last May to find out how users create a digitally safe and secure comfort zone at home. Considering that SEA has many young and highly active internet users, it comes to no surprise that most users in the region spent between 5 to 10 hours online per day.

So what were people doing online with all their spare time during lockdown? It turns out that the five most common online activities include: shopping (64%), content streaming and online gaming (58%) socialising with family and friends (56%), conducting financial matters (47%) and attending online tutorials (39%).

“While technology can be a useful tool to keep us all connected together, we need to secure our home networks against malicious threats online,” said Kaspersky’s general manager for Southeast Asia Yeo Siang Tiong.

With all the additional time spent online, what are Southeast Asian internet users most concerned about? Apparently 69% of respondents were worried about conducting financial transactions online while another 62% felt uneasy holding virtual work meetings.

Interestingly, Kaspersky’s report shows that 42% of respondents were afraid of their financial details being compromised through their devices.

This was followed by another 37% of people concerned about their private documents being accessed by third parties. Aside from that, there were 35% who worry that someone would take control of their device remotely via an insecure internet connection.

Spyware was another worrying point for 3-in-10 online users while another 30% were concerned about organisations or websites tracking their location.

“The concerns which we’ve unmasked in our research proved that there is a growing awareness of the cruel aftermath of cyberattacks. However, this same study showed us that there are still 37% of internet users in the region who think they are not at risk because someone else is more interesting for cybercriminals,” said Yeo.

“It is high time to think really carefully about the defences we are building around our digital lives and to place its security among our topmost priority,” he added.

Kaspersky has several suggestions on how to enforce better security for your devices and home:

• Create strong passwords for all your accounts and devices, even your router.
• Consider using Kaspersky’s “Privacy Tracker” that helps set social media profiles to private to make it more difficult for third parties to find your personal information.
• Turn on password protection, encrypt your work devices and ensure your data is backed up
• Keep all your devices, software, application and services up to date with the latest patches.
• Last but not least, install protection software like Kaspersky Endpoint Security Cloud, on all endpoints, including mobile devices.

Kaspersky is offering a three-month free trial of its Kaspersky Safe Kids solution should you require a tool to help keep your children safe as they surf the web. You can also check out Kaspersky’s official store on Lazada and Shopee for other internet security solutions.

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