1 in 5 people aren’t protecting themselves against cyber attacks
A large number of users aren’t protecting their devices and data by using an antivirus and VPN
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With more users spending an increasing amount of time online, protecting yourself from cyberattacks by usingantivirus softwareand aVPNon all of your devices has never been more important.
However, according to the results of anew surveyfromTom’s Guide, one in five people aren’t taking any steps at all to safeguard their data and their devices.
By using the real-timepolling platformOnePulse, the news outlet recently surveyed 1,000 randomly-selected users in both the US and UK to learn more about their online security habits.
In addition to the fact that 20 percent of respondents aren’t using any security or privacy tools, the survey also found that users mostly trust antivirus and VPN companies with their data.
Staying safe online
In response to the question “what cybersecurity software do you use to stay safer and more private online?”, almost half of respondents (45.6%) indicated that they usefree antivirus softwaresuch asMicrosoft Defenderon their devices. Meanwhile, 21 percent of those surveyed said they pay either monthly or annually for antivirus software.
When it came to VPN services, responses were quite similar between paid and free options with 13.8 percent saying they use a paid VPN while 12.8 percent said they used a free VPN. While afree VPNcan be useful for bypassing online restrictions quickly, you could be putting your data at risk as few of these services provide ano-log VPN.
Respondents to the survey fromTom’s Guidealso indicated that they use other security and privacy tools to protect themselves online includingmalware removal software (9.8%),Tor(1.8%) andproxy services(1.4%).
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At a time when we carry our whole online identities with us on oursmartphonesand uselaptopsanddesktop PCsfor banking and sending other sensitive data, using an antivirus and VPN is quickly becoming a necessity to stay protected from cyberattacks. While it may seem cheaper to forgo using paid security services in the short term, falling victim toidentity theftcan be extremely expensive and recovering your identity could end up taking years.
ViaTom’s Guide
After working with the TechRadar Pro team for the last several years, Anthony is now the security and networking editor at Tom’s Guide where he covers everything from data breaches and ransomware gangs to the best way to cover your whole home or business with Wi-Fi. When not writing, you can find him tinkering with PCs and game consoles, managing cables and upgrading his smart home.
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