A new global study sponsored by Acronis, a global player in hybrid cloud data protection, reveals a growing understanding about the value of, and attitudes toward, the protection of personal data on computers, mobile phones and tablet devices.
Nearly half of survey respondents have more than four devices in a household to protect and 45% of survey respondents fear losing photos and videos the most. Security and privacy were cited as key requirements for backing up data.
Emerging concerns for personal data protection
The traditional fears of hardware failure and accidental deletion are no longer the sole reasons people fear data loss. Cyberthreats like ransomware, a type of malicious software designed to block access to a computer system and its data until a sum of money is paid, is a growing threat to individuals and businesses. According to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), a partnership between the FBI and the nonprofit National White Collar Crime Center in the US, the IC3 received 992 Cr yptoWall-related (ransomware) complaints between April 2014 and June 2015, with victims reporting losses totalling over US$18 million.
According to the Kaspersky Security Bulletin 2015, Singapore suffers from malware attacks in banking ahead of other countries, with 11.6% of surveyed users targeted at least once by banking trojans throughout the year. Backup is one effective recovery option for CryptoWall and malware-related attacks.
The data protection survey, conducted by Acronis with Google Consumer Surveys, focused on understanding data protection behaviour. Key findings from the more than 4,000 individuals include:
· The most important data protection features were security (cited by 30% of respondents), ease-of-use at 36%, and privacy at 26%.
· Nearly half (46%) have more than four devices (computers, laptops, smart phones) in their homes.
· Currently, 38% back up to external drives and 30% back up to the cloud.
· 58% percent of consumers back up at night and 27% perform backups while watching TV.
A new category of “data protectors”
With the median household having at least four devices, an emerging trend of users called “family data protectors” is also gaining traction. The sheer growth of data captured in mobile pictures and videos, music files, and scanned family documents means the family data protector ensures the immediate and extended family is prepared for, and protected against, data loss.
“Data loss via hardware failure, file deletion, and ransomware are factors most people don’t think about on a daily basis, but when they do occur the results are devastating,” said Steve Goh, Vice President and GM of Sales, APAC & EMM of Acronis. “Our survey results illustrate a growing general recognition of the value of data stored on family computers and devices, especially given the price people are willing to pay for their data. We hope that this new information, presented on World Backup Day, will encourage even more people to back up their data and protect their personal information.”
Three steps to improve data protection
For anyone, but especially for family data protectors, keeping digital memories and fiduciary documents safe, secure and private, is a responsibility that can be easy and inexpensive to exercise. Below are some tips:
1. Always have a backup of a family’s critical data, documents, pictures and videos.
2. Keep your operating systems on the most up-to-date version. Those security patches and software updates are important
3. Be mindful of suspicious emails or clicking on links sent by unknown sources, it could be a phishing scheme or ransomware.
Interested?
Acronis True Image can protect data in three clicks and 10 minutes, the company says. Take advantage of World Backup Day special offers on Acronis True Image
Nearly half of survey respondents have more than four devices in a household to protect and 45% of survey respondents fear losing photos and videos the most. Security and privacy were cited as key requirements for backing up data.
Emerging concerns for personal data protection
The traditional fears of hardware failure and accidental deletion are no longer the sole reasons people fear data loss. Cyberthreats like ransomware, a type of malicious software designed to block access to a computer system and its data until a sum of money is paid, is a growing threat to individuals and businesses. According to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), a partnership between the FBI and the nonprofit National White Collar Crime Center in the US, the IC3 received 992 Cr yptoWall-related (ransomware) complaints between April 2014 and June 2015, with victims reporting losses totalling over US$18 million.
According to the Kaspersky Security Bulletin 2015, Singapore suffers from malware attacks in banking ahead of other countries, with 11.6% of surveyed users targeted at least once by banking trojans throughout the year. Backup is one effective recovery option for CryptoWall and malware-related attacks.
The data protection survey, conducted by Acronis with Google Consumer Surveys, focused on understanding data protection behaviour. Key findings from the more than 4,000 individuals include:
· The most important data protection features were security (cited by 30% of respondents), ease-of-use at 36%, and privacy at 26%.
· Nearly half (46%) have more than four devices (computers, laptops, smart phones) in their homes.
· Currently, 38% back up to external drives and 30% back up to the cloud.
· 58% percent of consumers back up at night and 27% perform backups while watching TV.
A new category of “data protectors”
With the median household having at least four devices, an emerging trend of users called “family data protectors” is also gaining traction. The sheer growth of data captured in mobile pictures and videos, music files, and scanned family documents means the family data protector ensures the immediate and extended family is prepared for, and protected against, data loss.
“Data loss via hardware failure, file deletion, and ransomware are factors most people don’t think about on a daily basis, but when they do occur the results are devastating,” said Steve Goh, Vice President and GM of Sales, APAC & EMM of Acronis. “Our survey results illustrate a growing general recognition of the value of data stored on family computers and devices, especially given the price people are willing to pay for their data. We hope that this new information, presented on World Backup Day, will encourage even more people to back up their data and protect their personal information.”
Three steps to improve data protection
For anyone, but especially for family data protectors, keeping digital memories and fiduciary documents safe, secure and private, is a responsibility that can be easy and inexpensive to exercise. Below are some tips:
1. Always have a backup of a family’s critical data, documents, pictures and videos.
2. Keep your operating systems on the most up-to-date version. Those security patches and software updates are important
3. Be mindful of suspicious emails or clicking on links sent by unknown sources, it could be a phishing scheme or ransomware.
Interested?
Acronis True Image can protect data in three clicks and 10 minutes, the company says. Take advantage of World Backup Day special offers on Acronis True Image
posted from Bloggeroid
