The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Poll shows Brits not handy with phones
Only one-third of users install anti-virus software on mobile
Just one-third of consumers have installed anti-virus software on their mobile phone despite 94% appreciating the importance of data security, a survey has found.
Almost 24 million Britons use their mobile to shop and nearly 23 million use internet banking services, the poll for Virgin Mobile found, but just 34% have protected their phone with software.
Meanwhile,17%ofBritsadmittostoring their passwords on their mobile.
Of these, 43% save passwords in the Notes app, 28% save them as the names of the organisation in their contacts list and 26% put them under celebrity names.
A total of 43% do not use a numerical passcode to secure access to their phones, while 11% admit that they have never changed any of their online passwords. Even among those who consider themselves to take data security seriously, 7% have used public wi-fi to send bank details.
Despite increasing levels of cybercrime, one-fifth of Britons (17%) do not think anyone will ever steal information from their phone, while almost one in three (29%) believe security applications are not necessary on mobile phones.
Virgin Mobile commissioned the survey as it launched a mobile security package, including a password manager service, for all customers for free for the first year of use.
Cyber.uk director Jessica Barker said: “With phones becoming more powerful and connected, people use them to do internet banking, shopping, sharing content on social media and even sending intimate selfies.
“This information can be vulnerable to attack, like anything on the internet, but there are lots of straightforward steps you can take to better protect yourself and your data.”
There are lots of straight– forward steps you cantaketo better protect yourself and your data