"Average American Accesses Suspicious Sites 6.5 Times a Day"

Security researchers at AT&T discovered that the average person happens upon a suspicious online site or social media account 6.5 times a day.  The researchers surveyed 2000 general population Americans.  The researchers found that 54% of consumers said they were unaware of the difference between active and passive security threats, with the majority being reactive as opposed to proactive about their password security.  Of those surveyed, 42% still use the same password across multiple logins, an oversight that can lead to credential stuffing.  The researchers also found that less than 40% of those polled consider common cybersecurity risks, and only one-third are mindful of network intrusion and rogue mobile apps.  The researchers noted that nearly half (45%) of consumers have even received a phone call from someone claiming to be from the government, a disturbing finding given that 36% were more willing to reply to a message if it looks like it’s from an official organization.  Josh Goodell, vice president of AT&T, stated that people can help mitigate their cybersecurity risks across the home by using a virtual private network (VPN) to encrypt their data and prevent potential hackers from tracking their online activity.
 

Infosecurity reports: "Average American Accesses Suspicious Sites 6.5 Times a Day"