Majority of online users completely clueless – software specialist ForgeRock calls for awareness

So far in 2022, around 41 percent of the data records that unauthorized persons have obtained come from social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter . For comparison: In 2000 this proportion was still 25 percent. This year, however, “only” 24 percent of leaked data has come from retail websites, according to the latest report from US software specialist ForgeRock . The experts suspect that the companies behind the social media offerings don't seem to be doing much to secure servers and databases.

Identity theft made easy

Part of the reason social media has become a hotbed for cybercrime is because it's so easy to impersonate someone else, says ForgeRock. Fraudsters often disguise themselves as business people because they then appear more credible in their fraudulent campaigns. This could lead to successful phishing attacks, particularly on sites like LinkedIn , where people often click on links and fill out forms submitted to them by supposed employers. Oversharing on the social web also makes it easier for malicious actors to collect personal information that can help them fish out personal data.

Given the risks, consumers should be better informed about such threats so they can use social media sites more safely, says ForgeRock. Company employees are also negligent when it comes to data security, thereby encouraging data theft, the report says. This is what Tessian , developer of cloud email security platforms, discovered. The analysis also shows that nearly 30 percent of employees do not believe they play a role in maintaining their company's cybersecurity posture.

Carelessly opening attachments

Employees who open a website generally do not check it, warns Tessian. They would carelessly reveal their data to a fraudulent website or accidentally open a malware attachment, which could cause great damage to the company. The Tessian study also shows that only 39 percent of employees are willing to report a security threat. On the other hand, companies did not place much emphasis on training their employees in cybersecurity. Employees in Great Britain and the USA are just as unconcerned. Only 28 percent consider cyber security training to be important.

You might also be interested in:
Austrian Cybercrime Report 2021
More and more people are affected by cyber attacks

Source: press release


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