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UK has the worst internet security in Europe
France and Germany less open to fraud.
By Carrie-Ann Skinner | PC Advisor
Published: 14:51 GMT, 03 September 09
Brits are lax at updating their security software, compared to their European counterparts, says PC Tools.
Worldwide research by the security firm revealed that a third of Brits never update their security software, compared to just five percent of German and seven percent of French web users.
Nearly one in ten Brits also admitted they don't use any form of security software when surfing the web, compared to five percent of French and four percent of Germans.
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The UK is also lagging behind when it comes to deleting files sent from unknown sources. Just one percent of Brits will delete files sent by email, instant messenger or social networking sites compared to two percent of French web users and nine percent of Germans.
PC Tools said that 41 percent of all respondents use just one or two passwords across all the sites they visit online, while eight percent admitted to having just one password for all their online account. Of that eight percent, over half were French, while 35 percent were Brits and just 16 percent were German.
Michael Greene, vice president of product strategy, PC Tools, said: "While consumers are generally security conscious, they are not yet security savvy. The increased use of the internet among consumers is providing a lucrative market for cybercriminals and we are seeing more and more sophisticated techniques that lure consumers into clicking on malicious links or downloading malicious files".
Over three quarters of Brits have some form of security software installed on their PC, compared to the global average of 57 percent. Worryingly, 53 percent of Brits also said they only act on a security alert if something strikes them as particularly dangerous.
"By ensuring they are using the right software to reflect their online behaviour and by being aware of the latest threats, consumers can be much better protected online and be both technically and security savvy," added Greene.
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Add your commentComments
Rickard Johansson | Published: 13:12 GMT, 07 September 2009
I would recommend viewing the Secunia Worldmap to get the correct information. http://secunia.com/vulnerability_scanning/personal/worldmap/ It shows in a very nice way the general patch level.