Research by Surfshark has found that Brits have lax attitudes towards online privacy and security despite 92% saying online privacy is important to them.
The survey was carried out in Australia, Canada, Germany, the UK and the US looked into peoples’ perspectives on their digital privacy. 92% of Brits find online privacy important but a third would still sacrifice it for higher quality online services. More than 70% of UK residents expressed that they feel worried for their online safety.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, global cyberwarfare has increased,It’s challenging to contain cyberattacks in exact regions, and there’s always a significant chance of collateral damage to almost any country on this planet.
– Aleksandr Valentij, Chief Information Security Officer at Surfshark
Brits use privacy tools less often than the rest of respondents, with only Germans being more laid back about their approach to app privacy settings. Two-thirds actively manage their app permissions and are selective about which cookies they allow on websites. Additionally, 1 in 3 Brits still choose to put the quality of apps, websites and platforms before their privacy.
The United Kingdom has also been found to have the highest cybercrime rate in the world as of 2020, surpassing the U.S. As of data breaches, Surfshark Alert reports that 1 in 4 UK citizens have been affected by a breach in 2021, while in the US this comes down to two-thirds of all users. Experts urge people to stay vigilant and protect personal data, as an 800% global rise in cyberattacks had been reported over the recent weeks.
Now it’s important to treat any suspicious activity much more seriously, especially phishing attempts, Although the risks are elevated, there are basic ways to protect yourself online. Don’t download files from unknown or unsecured HTTP pages, keep all your software up to date, make backups in case of “wiper” types of attacks and use antivirus, VPN and firewall solutions whenever possible.
– Aleksandr Valentij, Surfshark’s Chief Information Security Officer.
