Despite Prevalence of Online Threats, Users Aren't Changing Behavior

Consumers are aware that their information can be stolen by cybercriminals and that they are vulnerable to attack. Yet the pace at which they are adopting security tools remains slow, according to the latest "Consumer Cyber Readiness Report" from Consumer Reports.

Nearly half of the respondents who took a recent survey on digital scams and consumer cyber readiness say they have been personally targeted by an online scam in the past year, but they don't seem to be taking any specific steps to reduce their exposure to threats or to shore up their defenses. In fact, consumer behavior remains largely unchanged from 2023 to 2024, the report shows.

Despite the long list of organizations that have been breached and personal information stolen over the past few years, just 28% of respondents say they have identity theft protection services. This is a low number considering breached organizations offer identity theft protection for free.

Just 54% of consumers say they have software to block or remove malware and viruses on the personal electronic devices they use the most — a 2% decline from 2023. Forty-two percent say they have firewalls installed on their devices, but what's worrying is that 26% of respondents say they are unsure. This is also another decline from last year, down from 46% in 2023.

Encouragingly, 71% of survey respondents say they apply software updates on their personal devices as soon as the updates are available, which is a slight increase from last year's 67%.

"Staying updated is the simplest and most effective step consumers can take to safeguard their digital lives," states Tarah Wheeler, CEO of Red Queen Dynamics, in the report. "It's encouraging to see more Americans prioritizing this essential aspect of cybersecurity."

While users are generally more keen on keeping devices updated, only 10% say they are using encryption software on their devices to keep files protected. Three-quarters of respondents say they do not, and 15% aren't sure.

On the privacy front, things aren't much better. Nearly a quarter of respondents say they aren't sure whether they have browser extensions that block trackers. About a third of respondents say they use a VPN for accessing the Internet, but 17% are not sure.

This year's "Consumer Cyber Readiness Report" is based on a survey of about 4,000 people.