The Silent Epidemic: Cybercrime Strikes More Than Two-Thirds of Internet Users New Norton Study of 7,000 Web Users Is First to Gauge Emotional Impact of Cybercrime; Victims Feel Ripped Off...and Pissed Off Published on Sep 8, 2010 - 7:36:35 AM
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. Sept. 8, 2010 - The next time you surf the Internet, consider this: You might be just one click away from becoming the next cybercrime victim. A new study released today from security software maker Norton reveals the prevalence of cybercrime: Two-thirds (65 percent) of Internet users globally, and almost three-quarters (73 percent) of U.S. Web surfers have fallen victim to cybercrimes, making America one of the most victimized nations in the world.
The Norton Cybercrime Report: The Human Impact s the first study to examine the emotional impact of cybercrime. It shows that victims' strongest reactions are feeling angry (58 percent) and annoyed (51 percent). Only 3 percent don't think it will happen to them, and nearly 80 percent do not expect cybercriminals to be brought to justice— resulting in an ironic reluctance to take action.
Despite the emotional burden and the universal threat of cybercrime, people still aren't changing behaviors - with only half (51 percent) of adults saying they would change their behavior if they became a victim. Even scarier, fewer than half (44 percent) reported the crime to the police.
"Cybercriminals purposely steal small amounts to remain undetected, but all of these add up. If you fail to report a loss, you may actually be helping the criminal stay under the radar," said Adam Palmer, Norton lead cyber security advisor.
The "human impact" aspect of the report delves further into the little crimes consumers perpetrate against others. Nearly half of respondents think it's legal to download a single music track, album or movie without paying.
"Everyone can take simple steps, such as having up-to-date, comprehensive security software in place. In the case of online crime, an ounce of prevention is worth a ton of cure," said Anne Collier, co-director, ConnectSafely.org and editor, NetFamilyNews.org, who collaborated with Norton on the study.
The best defense against cybercrime is to use up-to-date, comprehensive security software, such as Norton Internet Security 2011, which was launched today.
