Lack of passwords, use of public Wi-Fi lead consumer cyber security risks

COSTA MESA, Calif., Oct. 1, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month, and Experian's ProtectMyID^® issued its new survey results about cyber security today. The study, conducted by Edelman Berland, reveals areas where consumers' identities are most at risk, including electronic devices and online accounts. The findings show that 93 percent of respondents believe that identity theft is a growing problem yet are not doing enough to address the issue.

"Most people recognize that identity theft presents a problem that could affect them financially but don't take steps to protect themselves," said Becky Frost, senior manager of consumer education for Experian's ProtectMyID. "Identity thieves use data as their commodity, selling it to the highest bidder, or for personal gain, so it's important for consumers to protect their personal information."

Consumer risks
Consumers overwhelmingly report taking steps to protect their physical and digital information, but 33 percent still do not feel confident that they are doing enough to protect their identities. In fact, 73 percent say they are concerned that they could be affected by identity theft in the future, and 90 percent note that people should be more concerned about identity theft.

Taking risks online

• Only 38 percent of those surveyed manage social-media privacy settings on an ongoing basis
• Thirty-two percent report closing browsers without logging out of their online accounts
• Fifty-three percent don't check to see if a Website is secure before shopping online
• Fifty-eight percent say they use public Wi-Fi once a month or more, but a quarter don't use any form of protection, i.e., firewall or VPN
• Sixty-six percent log on to personal accounts from public Wi-Fi, and 38 percent access bank or credit-card accounts on public Wi-Fi
• Only 52 percent update their antimalware or antivirus software each year

Not being smart when it comes to smartphones

• Three in 10 smartphones are not password protected, and 41 percent are not enabled for remote tracking and wiping
• Only 22 percent of respondents report that they read mobile-app privacy statements before downloading them
• A third of consumers (and 48 percent of millennials) say they feel comfortable sharing their passwords with others

Startling findings and misconceptions

• Twenty-nine percent of respondents say they felt safe because thieves only want wealthy people's identities
• Thirty-two percent say they believe that their chances of getting their identity stolen are small, and 42 percent feel that it would be very difficult for someone to steal their identity
• Forty-two percent feel that it's too much of a hassle to worry constantly about securing their identity

Securing your identity in the digital age

• Change passwords on a regular basis
• Avoid sharing personally identifying information, such as your full birth date, on social networks
• Avoid using public Wi-Fi hotspots that make it easy for thieves to hack into the information stored on your mobile devices
• Password-protect your phone since it provides access to sensitive information and accounts
• Enable remote location and wiping software to track your phone if it's lost or stolen, allowing to wipe all of the data from it
• Review credit reports regularly, and watch for signs of fraud
• Consider enrolling in identity-protection monitoring, and take action if you receive alerts that your identity could be compromised

For more information about the survey, please visit http://www.experian.com/blogs/news/2014/10/01/experian-protectmyid-survey-93-percent-of-respondents-believe-that-identity-theft-is-a-growing-problem/.

About the survey
The online survey was conducted by Edelman Berland on behalf of Experian from Sept. 2, 2014, through Sept. 5, 2014, among 1,000 adults ages 18 and older residing in the United States. This online survey is not based on a probability sample; therefore, no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, please contact [email protected].

About Experian's ProtectMyID
ProtectMyID is a leading, full-service provider of identity theft detection, protection and resolution. ProtectMyID offers comprehensive identity theft protection features supported by experienced identity theft resolution professionals who deliver personal attention that customers can rely on. ProtectMyID.com^® is a Website owned by ConsumerInfo.com^®, Inc., an Experian company. For more information about how ProtectMyID helps consumers protect themselves against identity theft, please visit http://www.protectmyid.com.

About Experian
Experian^® is a leading global information services company, providing data and analytical tools to clients around the world. The Group helps businesses to manage credit risk, prevent fraud, target marketing offers and automate decision making. Experian also helps individuals to check their credit report and credit score, and protect against identity theft.

Experian plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange (EXPN) and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 index. Total revenue for the year ended March 31, 2014, was US$4.8 billion. Experian employs approximately 16,000 people in 39 countries and has its corporate headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, with operational headquarters in Nottingham, UK; California, US; and São Paulo, Brazil.

For more information, visit http://www.experianplc.com.

Contacts:

Ann Noder
Pitch PR
1 480 263 1557
[email protected]

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SOURCE Experian’s ProtectMyID