Cybercriminals have their best allies in their victims. Six out of 10 Spaniards recognize that their knowledge in this area is little or none, according to the first survey on 'Cybersecurity and habits of use of digital channels', prepared by Sigma Dos in collaboration with the savings bank employers' association, CECA, which was presented this Wednesday in Madrid.
This recognized lack of knowledge is combined with a lack of attention to risk. Only 85% of financial clients remember having received information from their entity with measures to prevent cyber attacks, but only 54% of them pay attention to it. A percentage that falls to 33% in the case of young people and rises to 67% among those over 65 years of age.
Prevention is not a common practice either. Only 65% take sufficient protective measures to ensure their digital security. Among the chosen ones, the one that is most practiced is updating devices, which 57% of those surveyed admit to doing regularly, 50% admit to choosing secure applications for their devices and 37% activate an antivirus. Only 50% avoid browsing public networks as a safety precaution.
In the case of the measures adopted in relation to the activities of your banking entity, the most common are the activation of movement notifications, the addition of biometric data or passwords to the accounts. The survey ensures that financial entities are the ones that offer Spaniards the greatest confidence in cybersecurity, followed by public administrations. In any case, Spaniards "mostly" prioritize direct contact with their banking institution.
In their relationship with the bank, 20% still consider that the financial institution can contact them through unofficial channels such as email, SMS or WhatsApp. Precisely the channels that, along with social networks, cybercriminals use most for these all types of fraud. 73% of those surveyed acknowledge having received suspicious content through these channels. 42% have received them via calls and 35% through strangers on social networks.
Among other conclusions, the study confirms that financial entities are recognized as the digital environment in which Spaniards feel most secure. And the sector asks to advance in protection by joining efforts with public institutions.
