Main News Desk

F-Secure reveals consumer attitudes towards Internet security across Europe and North America

~ first ‘Online Wellbeing Survey’ shows consumers remain concerned about email vulnerability yet have misplaced confidence in their antivirus definitions updates ~

February 28, 2008

F-Secure, the global leader in providing security as a service through mobile operators and Internet Service Providers, has announced the results of its first annual Online Wellbeing Survey.

The third-party survey of Internet users aged 20-40 in the US, Canada, the UK, France and Germany, tested respondents’ knowledge of online security issues (their ‘security IQ’) and gauged their confidence in the safety of basic online activities.

The results revealed that while most respondents have security software installed on their PCs, many remain unsure if their email is free of malware and other threats. The survey also showed that few consumers realise how frequently their security software’s antivirus definitions need updating, and most respondents revealed a misplaced confidence that their definitions were up-to-date.

The survey found that Internet users in North America and Europe had a basic understanding of online security issues, but still don’t have confidence in the security of basic online activities. While the results revealed similar levels of security knowledge and online confidence across those surveyed, German consumers showed markedly less confidence in the security of e-commerce and online banking than respondents in other markets. German respondents also revealed a significantly better understanding of how frequently anti-virus definitions need to be updated.

F-Secure’s findings included the following:

Understanding Antivirus Protection

Though most respondents believed that their antivirus software was up to date with the latest definitions, few correctly identified the frequency with which these definitions must be updated, suggesting a misplaced confidence. However, a majority of respondents correctly indicated that online security requires more than just antivirus protection. On average:

19% of respondents understood that antivirus definitions needed to be updated more than once a day – German respondents scored highest on this issue, with 31% answering correctly
76% of respondents were confident their security software’s antivirus definitions were up to date
73% of respondents recognise that their computers can become infected with malware if they rely on antivirus protection alone, even if their security software’s antivirus definitions are up to date

Email Security

Consumers across all markets showed low confidence in the safety of basic email activities. On average:

Only 10% of respondents are confident that they can open email attachments without infecting their computers with malware – confidence was lowest in the US, at 7%
Just 9% of respondents are confident that they can open links sent via email without infecting their computers with malware – confidence was highest in the UK, at 15%, and lowest in France, at 4%
24% of respondents are confident that they are safe from malware sent via email – confidence was highest in Germany, at 31%, and lowest in Canada at 17%

General Knowledge of Online Risks

The survey revealed that respondents have a basic understanding of online risks and the ways in which their computers could become infected with malware. Expectedly, the great majority of consumers reported having security software installed on their computers. However, with their understanding of online risks, respondents expressed a lack of confidence in the security of basic online activities. On average:

95% of respondents have security software installed on their computers
73% of respondents recognise that computers running antivirus software with up-to-date virus definitions can still become infected with malware
88% of respondents realise that malware can add their computers to a botnet used to send spam without their knowledge
16% of respondents are confident that files they download from websites are free from malware
18% of respondents are confident that they are safe from malware spread by Web sites

Consumers showed generally low confidence in their ability to identify phishing scams. On average:

37% of respondents were confident they could spot a phishing email – confidence was lowest in France, at 26%
27% of respondents were confident they could identify a phishing site – confidence was lowest in France, at 21%

Understanding Antivirus Protection

Though most respondents reported that their antivirus software is up to date with the latest definitions, few correctly identified the frequency with which these definitions must be updated, suggesting a misplaced confidence. However, a majority of respondents correctly indicated that online security requires more than just antivirus protection. On average:

19% of respondents understood that antivirus definitions need to be updated many times per day – German respondents scored highest on this issue, with 31% answering correctly, nearly twice other markets surveyed
76% of respondents were confident their security software’s antivirus definitions were up to date
73% of respondents recognise that their computers can become infected with malware even if their security software’s antivirus definitions are up to date

Perceived Security of Online Transactions

Respondents showed greater confidence in the safety of online banking than in the security of credit cards used for online shopping. In both of these areas, German consumers reported significantly less confidence than other respondents.

50% of respondents in the US, Canada, the UK, and France felt their credit cards were secure when shopping online, in contrast to:
15% of respondents in Germany felt their credit cards were secure when shopping online
65% of respondents in the US, Canada, the UK, and France were confident in the security of their online banking, whereas:
28% of respondents in Germany were confident in the security of their online banking

The survey was carried out by a third party in January 2008 across 1,169 Internet users aged 20-40 across the US (225 respondents), Canada (228 respondents), the UK (227 respondents), France (256 respondents) and Germany (224 respondents). F-Secure asked respondents a series of basic online security questions and, using a Likert scale, asked them to rate the extent to which they were confident in the security of given online activities.

Executive quote

“It’s concerning to see that so many consumers believe their antivirus definitions are up to date while not understanding how frequently they need to be updated. This shows why it’s essential for consumers to ensure they acquire their security from a reliable source which includes automatic software updates,” said Mikko Hypponen, Chief Research Officer at F-Secure.

“Email security certainly isn’t a new issue,” continued Mikko, “Email remains one of the most popular ways to spread malware, and the survey reveals that users remain concerned that attachments may infect their computers. However, we’ve also seen an increase in the use of other techniques, like ‘drive-by-downloads’, and it’s important that consumers be aware that malware isn’t just spread by email. Security software should empower users to take full advantage of the Internet and their email without worrying about vulnerabilities or security risks – it should provide true online wellbeing.”

About the company

F-Secure Corporation protects consumers and businesses against computer viruses and other threats from the Internet and mobile networks. F-Secure’s award-winning solutions are available as a service subscription through more than 160 Internet service providers and mobile operator partners around the
world, making F-Secure the global leader in this market. The solutions are also available as licensed products through thousands of resellers globally. The company aspires to be the most reliable security provider, helping to make computer and smartphone users’ connected lives safe and easy. This is substantiated by the company’s independently proven ability to respond faster to new threats than its main competitors. Founded in 1988 and headquartered in Finland, F-Secure has been listed on the OMX Nordic Exchange Helsinki since 1999. The company has consistently been one of the fastest growing publicly listed companies in the industry. The latest news on real-time virus threat scenarios is available at the F-Secure Data Security Lab weblog at http://www.f-secure.com/weblog/.

Contact details

For more information, please contact Sarah Douglas and Shenel Otkay at LEWIS, the PR agency, at: 

Tel: +44 (0) 20 7802 2626 Fax: +44 (0) 20 7802 2627 

Email: shenelo@lewispr.com sarahd@lewispr.com

Web: http://www.lewispr.com

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F-Secure reveals consumer attitudes towards Internet security across Europe and North America

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