According to a report conducted by ESET, users in the APAC region have a poor idea on how stay safe online. Majority of the respondents commit basic mistakes like using passwords containing easy to access personal information, such as their date of birth or surname, storing passwords and credit card details online, and connecting to unsecured public Wi-Fi networks.
When asked about common safety risks online in order to find out how much they actually know about cyber security, 68% of them said that they are aware of online security issues, but were unable to answer questions regarding cyber security practices.
The lack of formal education in the region is an important issue as four in 10 said they gained most of their information about online security through unofficial sources such as doing their own online research, or from their families and acquaintances. Despite over 78% of the respondents saying that they did not have any formal training about cyber security, they said that they were keen to learn more.
Nearly half of the respondents in the region felt their PCs and laptops were more likely to be hacked than their smartphones and tablets. Security risks associated with social media, free applications and software downloads are also not taken seriously, with over 30% of respondents saying that they were least concerned about exposure to cyber threats via these channels.
According to the study, Malaysia is ranked as the most cyber-savvy nation in Asia Pacific, followed by Singapore, India, Thailand, Hong Kong and Indonesia respectively. Cyber-savviness is based on factors such as the ability to understand activities likely to make them vulnerable online, risky behaviours while surfing the web, and the steps users take to protect themselves online.
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