The UK Is Taking Online Security More Seriously

Online consumers and social media users in the UK are finally realizing that they are at risk of identity theft and cyber attacks. According to ESET, this realization has prompted many of them to take online security more seriously.

Their research shows that more than 68 percent of UK social media users have taken steps to improve their online security. These are online consumers social junkies who have gone through various methods to protect themselves from falling victim to some type of cyber attack or identity theft. These steps include creating stronger passwords and not using the same password across different social media accounts.

This move has been prompted by a number of high-profile breaches, such as when Mark Zuckerberg had his Facebook and Pinterest accounts hacked. Supposedly, the hackers were able to access the Facebook founder’s account because he had re-used an old password. They said they found his details in a database of 117 million passwords hacked from social network LinkedIn in 2012.

Zuckerberg was not the only one to suffer at the hands of a cyber attack. Jack Dorsey, founder of Twitter also suffered a similar fate, when his Twitter and Vine accounts were hacked into. It is believed that these high-profile cyber attacks have led to an increased awareness of the need for improved online security. More business owners are protecting their sites with security scanning products for two reasons. One, they want their sites to be hacker proof. Two, they want people visiting their site to feel safe while they are browsing. eCommerce owners are finally starting to realize that online security scanning not only protects sites from hackers but also increases their conversion rates which lead to more sales.

online security
ESET says that 75% of those who were surveyed said that they believed that their privacy on social media outlets was far more important than being popular. 81% confirmed that they do not use passwords that were related to their personal lives (like birthdays, anniversary dates, or their physical address).

Mark James, a security specialist from ESET, said  their research proves that online users in the UK are finally waking up to the security dangers that exist online. “Users are finally grasping that they are indeed responsible for their own security. With so many data breaches happening almost on a daily basis it’s good to see this change in user perception.”

However, despite the fact that many people are actually getting it right, there are many others, including e-commerce business owners, who are still putting their data at risk. Trust Guard, the leader in website security, recommends online business owners protect themselves and those visiting their websites by scanning their sites often for security holes, vulnerabilities, and malware.

Read more at Sputnik News.

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