[Infographic] Why You Should be Concerned about Cyber Security
- November 16, 2019
The Internet may have brought a lot of good things for the world in general, but it is also a place that can be easily exploited. The speed, convenience, and anonymity of being online can be easily harnessed for nefarious purposes. If you have done your homework, you may now be familiar with the very real threat of cyber crimes.
Invasion of privacy, data breaches, hacking, harassment, identity theft, and phishing scams are just some of the most common cyber crimes that are prevalent nowadays. Should you be concerned about this kind of threat?
If you are someone who is present online, joining platforms and signing up in different websites, chances are, you have provided personal information and other valuable data that may be breached and leaked. Your privacy and safety will then be put in jeopardy, an experience that can drain you mentally, emotionally, and financially.
Beyond your personal data, there are also more nefarious forms of cyber crimes that can impact your life. If you are a business owner, this is a grave concern that you should never take for granted. A cyber attack can mean the end for small businesses, with 60% of them going out of business within six months of the attack. This statistic and other facts are outlined in the infographic created by the brilliant team from techjury.
In the US, the most vulnerable industries to attacks are businesses at 40% and with 312 cases of breach, medical and healthcare targets at 35.4%, government and military at 8.1%, and educational institutions at 7.4%.
It is also found that every stolen record from financial, government, healthcare, and education sectors cost an average of $141 globally. The total cost of financial hit can range from $749 billion to $2.2 trillion every year.
Of all the cybercrime attacks, 80% of them are committed by sophisticated gangs of criminals. Some cyber crimes make use of malicious malwares and ransomwares that can cost those affected millions of dollars. In fact, 68% of security breaches are caused by viruses, spyware and malware. In 2016, 37 million out of 150 million apps from different app stores contained malware.
With all of these incidents, many companies and institutions put considerable budget for cyber security. The average annual cost of cyber security in 2017 alone has reached $11.7 million. This can increase by 22.7% every year.
The repercussions of cyber crimes give everyone, from the ordinary online users to business owners, a long and hard think. It is something that should not be put in the back burner or brushed off as isolated occurrences.
Anyone who has shared information online can be vulnerable to cyber attacks and suffer the consequences. The infographic below can provide you with more facts and insights to help you take the threat of cyber crimes seriously. It will serve as your motivation to take precautionary measures for your safety and privacy.
