Many Americans still need to focus on securing online accounts and backing up critical data, according to a new study by the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) and Symantec. Americans Lacking In Online Security The majority (85%) of Americans feel they are most responsible for keeping computers secure, and 40 percent feel that individual computer users are most responsible for keeping the entire Internet secure. Only 27 percent of Americans make an electronic backup of their critical files on a weekly basis. More than 55 percent backup their files less often than once a month. Couple those findings with the fact that the use of computers to store personal data such as photos (76%), music (60%), banking information (39%) and tax returns (30%) continues to rise, computer users risk significant losses of valuable information. Passwords are another area where computer users need to improve security. The study found that less than 25 percent of those polled change passwords quarterly and more than 50 percent of Americans never change them. In addition, 40 percent don’t use different passwords for their various online accounts. The NCSA recommends the use of long, complex passwords that include upper and lower case letters, numbers and symbols. In addition to prevent hackers from accessing multiple accounts, computer users should have different passwords for every account and change passwords at least once every 90 days. “The fact that 85 percent of Americans believe they are most responsible for their own online security is a significant sign that awareness efforts are paying off and each one of us understands the important role we play in securing the Internet,” said NCSA Executive Director Michael Kaiser. “However, cybersecurity requires vigilance, maintenance and contingency planning every day of the year. Complex passwords and backing up are critical. Americans are doing better; they need to do better still and integrate cybersecurity into their lives until it’s second nature.”

Read the original post: 
Americans Lacking In Online Security