With the NHS health board urging the public to be alert of attempts to access their work and personal data following a mass NHS cyber attack in London, new research reveals the most common forms of protection used by Brits.
Every year, the police are inundated with reports of several million fraud and computer misuse cases and given that smartphones, computers, and the internet have become integral to our personal and professional lives, it’s crucial that we all take proactive steps to thwart cybercriminals from infiltrating our accounts, data, and devices.
Experts at Independent Advisor best VPNs have analysed the data to uncover the most common ways Brits are safeguarding themselves against hackers and the types of cybercrime threats to watch out for.
How is the UK public protecting themselves against hackers:
| Precautions the British public take against computer hacking and viruses | Percentage results |
| I have antivirus software | 69.0% |
| I only open attachments from reliable, familiar and trustworthy sources | 44.8% |
| I keep my computer’s operating system & antivirus software up to date | 42.5% |
| I use two-factor authentication where possible | 38.8% |
| I run routine antivirus scans on my computer | 38.3% |
| I only go on well-known websites | 38.2% |
| I don’t use unsecured or open Wi-Fi networks | 33.0% |
| I don’t share my personal information online | 27.4% |
| I have a VPN | 19.8% |
| I have my hard drive backed up in case a rebuild is necessary | 16.2% |
| None of the above | 2.9% |
| Other (please specify) | 0.5% |
The most common precaution among UK adults is installing antivirus software. Over two-thirds (69%) of adults surveyed reported using antivirus software. However, this means over three in 10 people in the UK still lack this protection, making them susceptible to data breaches.
The best antivirus is crucial for any computer user, especially if you use your device to store personal data. This also rings true for both PC and Mac users, as criminals can target any operating system with malware.
Furthermore, over two-fifths of UK adults keep their computer’s operating system and antivirus software up to date. Over time, criminals can find new vulnerabilities in your phone or computer. Regularly updating your operating system and antivirus software will prevent these vulnerabilities from being exploited.
Other precautions include behavioural techniques, such as only opening files from reliable sources, running regular antivirus scans, and not using unsecured Wi-Fi networks. To protect your data, it is essential to be responsible while online. Avoiding suspicious websites, not sharing personal information, and using a VPN can prevent virus attacks and malware from being installed on your computer.
James Milin-Ashmore, an expert at Independent Advisor VPN, comments on the types of cybercrime threats to watch out for at work and with your personal computers:
“In today’s digital world, personal information is constantly at risk of being copied or stolen, so it’s essential to be aware of online threats and know how to avoid falling victim to them. You don’t want a virus on your PC or Mac, whether it’s a worm, trojan, malware, or ransomware.
“If you’re unfamiliar with cybercrime, the most common threats include:
- Trojan horses are viruses which hide behind harmless-looking programs and allow hackers to steal personal data.
- Worms are malware that spread when you transfer files. They block systems and waste bandwidth.
- Spyware can gather data from your device and transfer it to another location.
- Adware tracks your computer’s memory to find out your preferences and bombards you with targeted advertisements.
- Browser hijackers will take control of your browser and direct you to other websites against your will.
- Phishing is a common approach where malicious links in an email will download a virus once clicked.
- Ransomware blocks your device until you pay a fee to unblock it.”
