No password on your device? That’s an open invite for cybercriminals
dubai — When it comes to safeguarding your digital device, a password is usually a safe bet and should be your first line of defence.
Despite this, only 68 per cent of users in the UAE have a password for their smartphones, a Kaspersky Lab study shows. The study found that 77 per cent of users in the UAE agree that cybercriminals and hackers pose a high risk to their data, with 68 per cent saying malware is a high-risk threat. However, there exists a discrepancy between the concerns people have about the safety of their data, and the measures they take to protect their personal data.
The study further revealed that 46 per cent of users have a password for their tablets, and 52 per cent for their computers. Worse still, three per cent of people don’t do anything to protect their data at all, and only about 10 per cent have a general security solution on their devices.
“Precious data that we save on the digital devices we use every day is not getting the protection it deserves,” said Andrei Mochola, head of consumer business at Kaspersky Lab.
Kaspersky experts have found that there is a disconnect between user perception and the reality of reckless behaviour, and its impact upon data risk. Over 56 per cent of people in the UAE admit that their own inattentiveness can put their data safety at high risk. One of the easiest ways for hackers to get their hands on a user’s data is through public Wi-Fi networks.
Users often connect to unfamiliar Wi-Fi networks — at airports, hotels, malls and public transport. However, these unsecure Wi-Fi connections are often used by cybercriminals as a trap to steal data. According to Kaspersky Lab research, 28 per cent of Wi-Fi networks across the world are unsafe.
“The poorly protected transfer of data puts your privacy, data and even their money at risk,” says Yury Namestnikov, head of the Global Research and Analysis Team, Russia at Kaspersky Lab. “By using tools that are freely available on the Internet, intruders can read and use information transmitted over these connections, including messages, passwords and files.”
While you may connect to a public network to check your flight status or browse through news websites, it is strictly inadvisable to use public WiFi connections to conduct any financial transactions- such as online shopping or banking and work with sensitive information, for example use your internal corporate portals.
In case the transaction cannot wait until you log in to a secure network, such as your home/work network, it is essential to use a Virtual Private Network (VPN), Namestnikov advises. “VPN prevents interception and malicious use of information transmitted via the Internet connection. For example, it can help secure account passwords, private correspondence or sensitive photos sent online, pages visited and purchases made.”
Harish Chib, vice-president Middle East and Africa at Sophos, says that password is the basic standard of authentication and this is one of the most basic security tips, but one which is sometimes completely overlooked.
“Most data breaches are typically due to basic security failures such as weak or no passwords being in place. The ideal phone protection is a four-digit PIN with a strong passcode compared to swipe patterns as greasy finger-trails could reveal too much,” Chib says.