In their report “Dealing with a new normal in our digital reality,” Kaspersky researchers found that nearly 70% of the 2,500 consumers surveyed said they found news of data breaches stressful.
More than half of respondents said that their use of online services had soared during the pandemic, and a quarter of respondents said that their online time had increased significantly. 56% said being online has become a stressor for them.
The percentages were also significantly higher among millennials: 64% of them said their Internet use had increased, compared to only 45% of baby boomers.
Curiously, the figures represent a decline from previous surveys published in 2019 and 2018. Nearly 80% of those surveyed in 2018 said data breaches caused them stress, a 7% increase over the 2021 results. More than 60% said ransomware was a “top concern.”
Despite the alarm raised by rampant data breaches, 36% of respondents said they felt better prepared to deal with an attack, while 23% said they felt less prepared.
In addition, only 30% of respondents said that they use any kind of security platform to protect their devices and personal information. 46% of respondents said they have a basic understanding of cybersecurity, while 17% claim expertise, a decrease compared to 2019 when 52% of respondents said they have a basic understanding of cybersecurity.
Despite the stress of the internet, 51% of Gen Z respondents and 49% of millennials said they use social media as a way to relax.
In addition, 64% of respondents believe that a compromised bank account would be more stressful than losing your job, but 44% do not use PINs to secure their mobile devices.
“The report shows a paradox as respondents are extremely worried about security incidents and yet this does not necessarily translate into action,” said Archie Agarwal, CEO at ThreatModeler.
For more information, read the original story in ZDNet.