Q&
EDITOR’S
WHAT PRACTICES
SHOULD
ORGANISATIONS ADOPT
IN ORDER TO PROTECT
THEIR DATA?
R
eckless data sharing online for short-
term gains is leaving consumers
exposed to more than they
bargained for, according to research from
Kaspersky Lab.
Despite outrage and worry around high
profile data sharing scandals, including
when Facebook gave Netflix and Spotify the
ability to delete users’ private messages,
over half of Internet users in South Africa
(54%) feel that complete privacy in the
modern digital world is impossible. Many are
instead choosing to sell-out when it comes
to securing the integrity of their data and
persona online – but with potentially big
costs and consequences.
Despite the very real consequences
associated with personal data being misused
or falling into the wrong hands, 18% of people
in South Africa would happily sacrifice their
privacy and share data if they got something
INTELLIGENT TECH CHANNELS
INTELLIGENT
TECH CHANNELS
Issue 24
for free and more than a third (41%) would
even accept money in exchange for giving a
stranger full access to their private data
Kaspersky Lab’s research found that 40%
of South Africans have had their private data
accessed by someone without their consent.
The consequences of this were wide and
varied with more than a third (42%) feeling
stressed as a result, while 21% of South
Africans have experienced monetary loss and
26% were disturbed by spam and adverts.
These consequences come despite many
people taking steps to keep information
secret or to stop others accessing personal
and confidential data. Cybercriminals came
out top of the people we are most afraid
of seeing or accessing our private data,
followed by the Internet in general and
the government in South Africa – 82% of
people in South Africa password protect
their devices to keep information private.
Over half (56%) regularly check and change
privacy settings on the devices, services and
apps they use; 23% cover their webcams to
keep data private; 26% encrypt their data.
Marina Titova, Head of Consumer Product
Marketing at Kaspersky Lab, said: “You
don’t have to look far to see how data can
be misused or used against consumers in a
variety of scenarios, for a variety of reasons.
Good digital hygiene and awareness about
the importance of online privacy and how to
safeguard yourself could stop you and your
data from becoming compromised.
“Data privacy is and should be achievable
by everyone. Secrets can stay safe and data
loss should not be an expectation but an
exception to transacting online. A combined
solution of security products and practical
steps can minimise the threats and keep
your data safe online.”
Kaspersky has issued some simple steps
to follow to help keep your online world
private and prevent you from falling victim
to data misuse:
Think twice before you post on social
media channels. Could there be wider
consequences of making your views or
information public? Could content be
used against you or to your detriment
now or in the future?
Don’t share passwords to your online
accounts with family or friends. It might
seem like a good idea or a convenient way
of sharing accounts with loved ones, but
it also adds to the likelihood of passwords
being uncovered by fraudsters. Keep
them to yourself and safeguard your
private information to protect you should
relationships turn sour.
Take your online privacy seriously and
don’t share or permit access to your
information with third parties unless
absolutely necessary, to minimise
exposure of it falling into the wrong hands.
Only download legitimate applications to
store and protect your sensitive data –
such as Kaspersky Password Manager –
so this information remains secure from
potential threats.
Use reliable security solutions for
comprehensive protection from a wide
range of threats aimed at your
personal data compromising, such as
Kaspersky Security Cloud and Kaspersky
Internet Security.
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