By Trudy Knockless, From Legaltech News

Although consumers consistently give themselves a solid A when it comes to grading their online security behaviors, most leave their information vulnerable.

In 2014, more than 348 million identities were exposed due to identity thefts. Even with this unpleasant disclosure in the news daily, many people fail to take the necessary actions required to protect their personal information.

The Norton Cybersecurity Insights Report covers a survey of 17,125 adult mobile device users across 17 countries, and gives a global take on online crime and the emotional toll it takes on consumers. The report found that 62 percent of consumers worldwide believe that it is more likely that their credit card information will be stolen online, while 30 percent think it’s more likely to lose their credit card from their wallets. Of those surveyed, 47 percent reported being victims of cybercrime.

Of the 17 nations surveyed, Americans are more inclined to take personal responsibility after an online crime, with 40 percent saying they feel personally responsible after being a victim, and 81 percent saying they’d feel devastated if their personal financial information was compromised.

About 70 percent of U.S. consumers would rather cancel dinner plans with a best friend than have to cancel their debit/credit card. Close to 63 percent would rather go on a bad date than have to deal with customer service after a security breach.

According to the report, seven in 10 Americans believe it is riskier to use public Wi-Fi than a public restroom, while 50 percent of consumers said that it is riskier to store their credit card and bank information in the cloud than not wearing a seatbelt. Two in three surveyed believe it is riskier to share their email password with their friend than lend them their car.

The report reveals that although consumers consistently give themselves a solid A when it comes to grading their online security behaviors, most leave their information vulnerable. The report adds that most people fail the basic requirement of online security: Passwords 101. More than half of password users do not use a secure password, while one in three does not have a password on their smartphone or desktop computer at all. More than 36 percent of U.S. consumers have shared the password to their banking account, while globally, people have shared on average their passwords for two accounts, mostly email (55 percent), TV/media (29 percent) and social media (43 percent).

Surprisingly, overly confident, digital-native millennials are the most vulnerable to online crime. Approximately 44 percent of U.S. millennials have been a victim of online crime in the last year. U.S. millennials are the least likely to take responsibility for their personal security, and they rely on banks and credit card companies to protect them after a hack. Globally, at 31 percent, millennials are also the most likely to share passwords.

IMAGE: by Yuri Samoilov, via Flickr

For more on this story go to: http://www.legaltechnews.com/id=1202743422596/Americans-Say-it-is-Riskier-to-Use-Public-WiFi-than-a-Public-Restroom-Survey#ixzz3szWOOKy8