Seven in 10 Internet users in Singapore store photos and documents on the cloud despite their reservations over its security, according to an online poll of 348 respondents by network security firm Trend Micro.
Surprisingly, respondents rely heavily on these cloud services, despite 20 per cent of them claiming they do not trust the cloud at all, the survey revealed yesterday.
These users were most regularly engaged in socialising online, with 78 per cent of them going on the Net for that. Banking came a close second, with 74 per cent of the votes, and shopping third, garnering positive responses from 72 per cent of the respondents.
Despite an increased reliance on the Internet and the cloud, many respondents remain ambivalent towards online security – a dangerous situation considering 60 per cent of them transact up to S$32,400 online every year. That’s not a small sum for middle-income individuals.
The same poll found 90 per cent of respondents were most worried about having their personal and financial data stolen, while 82 per cent fear virus and malware infections and 51 per cent were concerned about identity theft.
“It’s a fact of life that all laptops, smart phones, PC’s and tablets are susceptible to data theft, and stealing information from one’s digital life is easier than most people think,” said Akihiko Omikawa, executive vice president at Trend Micro.
As malicious threats become more common, it will be useful for Internet users to learn how to stay safe online, advised the cyber security firm.
This includes being wary of links on websites and popups, and protecting themselves against malware by looking carefully at promotional “offers” that come bundled with some free software.
More details in the infographic here from Trend Micro:
