BUSINESS

How you can stay safe online

October 21, 2009 16:06 IST
How alert are you about online threats? The results from an online consumer poll highlight the vulnerability of social networks as it sees an increased activity especially during the festive season.

The report by AVG Technologies in association with the CMO Council reveals that less than one third of consumers take adequate precautions to protect their personal data and identity online leading to many security breaches.

According to the poll, nearly 20 per cent experienced identity theft, 47 per cent have been victims of malware infections and 55 per cent have seen phishing attacks.

A majority of social networkers suffer from web-borne security problems (e.g. malware, phishing, identity theft). Some of the statistics are alarming:

It is estimated that social media network membership will top 600 million by 2012 and mobile social networking is forecast to reach 770 million by 2012.

The risks to privacy on social networks looms large. The exploitation of vulnerabilities in sites such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter are a security concern for 83 per cent of businesses, according to Deloitte.

Here's how you can stay safe online:

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