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.
