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Most In US Have False Sense of Online Security

Posted by kdawson on from the can't-hear-you-la-la-la dept.

BaCa sends along a link from Net-Security on a study of attitudes among Americans about the security of their PCs, versus their actual vulnerability. "More than half of computer users who think they are protected against online threats like spyware, viruses, and hackers actually have inadequate or no online protection, according to an independent research study conducted for Verizon... While 92 percent of participants thought they were safe, the scans revealed that 59 percent were actually vulnerable to a variety of online dangers. Ninety-four percent of those surveyed said they would find it helpful to be able to diagnose or check their online security status on a regular basis to make sure their PCs were safe."

8 of 161 comments (clear)

  1. At least once a year... by betterunixthanunix · · Score: 5, Funny

    At least once a year, these results come out in yet another study. Perhaps we should declare a new holiday: False Sense of Security Day (and of course, False Sense of Security Eve, when a hacker in a Santa suit constructs an enormous botnet and takes down a few small mailservers with spam).

    --
    Palm trees and 8
  2. Verizon + online bank security by UbuntuDupe · · Score: 3, Funny

    I don't know how good Verizon is at online bank security. I mean ... how safe can you be when you look at your bank account and can't distinguish .02 dollars and .02 cents?

    *ducks*

    --
    Apology to Ubuntu forum.
  3. I have absolute faith by ackthpt · · Score: 3, Funny

    this missive is stored on a secure server.

    My name is Milo T. Farnsworth, D.O.B 27/07/1974 My Switch number is 3975-4438-0098-2310, expry 04/09

    Please take care of this, I will be on an extended trip for the next 2 months, during which I will require great use of my $10,000 credit limit.

    --

    A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
  4. I know I'm secure by gEvil+(beta) · · Score: 5, Funny

    I know I'm secure. I use only genuine Microsoft products. I remember seeing an ad that said that they're the most secure computer company there is.

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    This guy's the limit!
  5. In Other News by Fnord666 · · Score: 3, Funny

    In other news, 92% of all drivers feel that their driving ability is above average.

    --
    'The tyrant will always find pretext for his tyranny.' - Aesop's Fables
    1. Re:In Other News by Kingrames · · Score: 2, Funny

      to be fair, around 50% of them actually are.

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      If you can read this, I forgot to post anonymously.
  6. Re:Old news by Cro+Magnon · · Score: 5, Funny

    Exactly. As if removing the spyware also went back in time and actually prevented the spyware from HAVING SPIED on you already!


    That's why you need a Mac. It has a Time Machine.

    --
    Slow down, cowboy! It has been 4 hours since you last posted. You must wait another few hours.
  7. Easy to do, thanks to RFC 3514 by Digital_Quartz · · Score: 2, Funny

    I'm surprised such a router isn't readily available, especially with the new "evil bit" in RFC 3514: http://www.faqs.org/rfcs/rfc3514.html :P