US Mobile Users Would Rather Lose Jobs Than Data

dataloss or joblossA full 11% of US mobile users think being hacked would be worse than losing their job. And, another 7% of respondents would rather have their car stolen than be hacked.

In fact, a majority of the population (57%) is worried about hackers intercepting their private information, according to new research by Criptyque, the maker of the Pryvate encrypted communications platform for mobile devices.

“This level of fear around protecting the information shared through mobile devices is understandable given the mass data hacking, theft and surveillance currently taking place on an unprecedented scale,” said Jonathan Parker-Bray, CEO and Founder of Pryvate. “Our study shows that one in seven people (15%) keeps passwords on their mobile phones, and nearly one in 10 (8%) keeps bank details, so the need to ensure these devices remain secure is more pressing than ever. Consumers must make certain their mobile devices are not a weak link that could lead to the interception of their personal information by taking appropriate steps to encrypt their communications.”

Criptyque’s survey found that 29% of respondents share sensitive work information through their mobile phones at least once per week, and that two fifths of respondents (40%) share sensitive personal information using their phones once per week. Given that such a large amount of private information is being shared through unencrypted mobile communication, 29% of survey respondents predict that stolen information taken through a hack of their mobile phone would result in a financial loss, while 26% think it would harm their professional reputation and 21% think it would harm their personal relationships.

“While people are familiar with paying to protect their computers from viruses and other forms of interference, most don’t consider the importance of protecting their mobile phones from issues such as Malware, which is increasingly interfering with mobile devices,” Parker-Bray concluded. “Using encrypted communications is especially vital now as people keep so much information that’s important to their day-to-day lives on their smartphones.”

He added, “Everyone should be able to keep their communications private and protect themselves from cybercriminals, intruders, corporate espionage, hackers and more. In order to do so, it’s essential that people adopt a secure communication service across email, voice calls, conference calls, video calls and instant messenger.”

 

SOURCE: Tara Seals | Infosecurity Magazine

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