51% Of Consumers Lack Faith On Their Security Software

Trend Micro, the anti-virus vendor conducted a poll on Internet users to find that a majority of them were not confident with the protection their security software provided.

The survey named 'Internet Confidence and Safety' focused on consumers' views on several Internet-related issues such as the level of safety and confidence they feel when surfing on the Internet, and what they think should be the future safety of the Internet. The survey tried to determine the number of consumers who encountered infections on their PCs over the past six months, and how confident they were with their security software. It also made an in-depth analysis of the consumers' online activities.

The survey conducted in the autumn of 2006 found that of the total 1,500 Internet users comprising of Americans, British, German, French and Japanese, 51% of them doubted their security software. Trend Micro attributed the problem partly to vendors' failure to inform users about the origin of threats and how adequately their systems were protected.

The poll also revealed that more than half of the consumers continued with risky online operations such as Internet banking, use of credit cards for online transactions, and downloading freeware. The responses indicated that they were not aware of the effects of those activities and that could be the reason for their ongoing participation in such online behavior. For they think they have adequate protection when actually they do not.

More than half (51%) of the U.S. respondents considered the Internet to be presently safe enough but that figure fell dramatically to 32% when they could not say if it will remain the same in the next six months.

General manager of Trend Micro's consumer group, Lane Bess said in a statement that being a security vendor they needed to be ahead of malware threats to ensure protection to their customers. He said it was their duty to inform them about their security level in a meaningful way so that they know if and how secure they are.

The company compiled the poll during September last questioning 1,500 respondents from five countries namely United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France and Japan.

Related article: “Loopholes did not cause online banking thefts”: ICBC

» SPAMfighter News - 1/8/2007