91 per cent Indian net users encounter cyber fraud attempts: VeriSign - IMRB survey
12 Jan 2010
New Delhi: A survey of over 5,000 active internet users across 10 cities in India suggests that they are becoming increasingly concerned about online security as 91per cent of them say they have experienced some case of cyber fraud, such as phishing, key logging, identity theft and account takeover. However, despite the exposure to cyber fraud, a majority of respondents were unaware of ways to combat it.
According to the rsults of a survey commissioned by Internet infrastructure' services and security provider, VeriSign and conducted by IMRB, highlighted that 60 per cent of respondents access the net frequently – at least four to six times a week - and 44 per cent shop online with 53 per cent engaging with user-generated content (eg, social networks and blogs).
The survey showed that despite being net-savvy:
- 38% of survey respondents use the same passwords for multiple log-ins
- 11% look out for the authenticity of the web site by looking at the security provider
- 32% create a secret question that only they can answer
- 83% do not look for secure Web sites (https:)
Additionally, an overwhelming 84 per cent of the survey respondents said that they would like to use two factor authentication (2FA) to secure their online transactions. The 2FA verification process generates an additional dynamic password at the log in stage by a device such as a credit-card form factor, token or mobile phone in addition to the user name and password.
According to Dr Shekhar Kirani, country manager, VeriSign India, ''This study clearly indicates that while users may be unaware of how to protect themselves online, their desire to be safe is high. The key is to keep one step ahead by knowing how to protect ourselves online, embracing best practices and using the latest technologies.''
Awareness and knowledge are the keys to combating cyber fraud. To this end, VeriSign has compiled five tips to follow for a safer online experience.