People show growing indifference towards cybercrime risks.
A new report by BSI and the police reveals an alarming rise in the number of individuals who are unconcerned about the risks of cybercrime. The study, which was conducted on over 3,000 people aged 16 and above between February 28 and March 4, found that the percentage of such individuals has risen by six points compared to last year. This trend is particularly noticeable among those aged 16 to 22, where it jumped by 16 points. In this age group, over two-thirds (68%) of respondents believe their chances of being personally affected are slim to none.
In terms of the measures people take to protect themselves from cyber threats, the respondents typically employ around four strategies. Among these, antivirus programs and secure passwords are the most popular, with 47% of participants relying on them each. However, these preventive steps may be too overwhelming for younger individuals.
The survey paints a grim picture of the experiences of those who have been previously targeted by cybercriminals. 44% of victims were scammed through identity theft and messenger fraud, while 23% fell for online shopping scams. An additional 15% were taken in by scams while using online banking.
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Despite the rising threat of cybercrime in Germany, a significant number of people show growing indifference towards it. This trend was highlighted in a recent report by the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) and German police. The report revealed an alarming rise in the number of individuals who are unconcerned about cybercrime risks, particularly among younger generations.
The study, which involved over 3,000 people aged 16 and above, found that the percentage of unconcerned individuals has risen by six points compared to last year, with a notable increase of 16 points in the 16 to 22 age group. This age group, in fact, has over two-thirds (68%) of its respondents believing their chances of being affected by cybercrime are slim to none.
This indifference towards cybercrime risks may be partly due to the measures people take to protect themselves from threats. According to the report, respondents typically employ around four strategies, with antivirus programs and secure passwords being the most popular, used by 47% of participants each. However, these preventive steps might be considered overwhelming for younger individuals.
The survey also painted a grim picture of the experiences of those who have been targeted by cybercriminals. Among the victims, a significant number were scammed through identity theft and messenger fraud (44%), online shopping scams (23%), and scams while using online banking (15%). These instances underscore the need for increased awareness and vigilance among people towards cyber threats.
