6 Terrifying Statistics About Internet Security

Most of us tend to think of cyberspace as a sort of dark and dangerous wilderness, where unseen predators and threats lurk behind every seemingly innocuous click. Well, brace yourself, because the truth is actually much worse.

1. The average unprotected computer on the internet will become infected with malware within seven minutes

stanford.edu

Now, just to lay the groundwork here, this isn’t referring to an unprotected computer that is also being used to visit untrusted sites and download free programs; this statistic mentions only that a computer needs to be installed on the internet. That’s it.

See, even an idle computer can be compromised if it’s turned on and connected to the rest of the world, because the internet is a door that swings both ways. Cyber criminals from around the world have developed programs and crafted advanced persistent threats that tirelessly scour the net for unprotected systems and networks, and automatically break their way into those systems when they find them.

2. Over 600,000 Facebook accounts are compromised every day

nbcnews.com

Just how secure is your social network page? Because with over half a million accounts being hacked every single day, you had better hope that you don’t have any sensitive information sitting on your Facebook page. Of course, that’s to say nothing of the personal damage that can result from stolen or doctored photographs—such as the kind that you share with your friends over social networking sites. All told, that’s 219,000,000 accounts being violated every year.

3. On average, it takes 156 days for a computer security breach to be detected

Via software-security.sans.org

Many cyber attacks are easy to identify, such as when you download a file and your entire computer goes into a malware convulsion and crashes without the requisite big data security precautions. However, the more dangerous attacks may often go for months without being noticed, thus giving cybercriminals all the time in the world to enjoy their unrestricted access to your system.

4. 7 out of 10 emails sent over the internet are spam

Go ahead and take a look into your email’s spam folder. Inside you’ll find everything from heartfelt pleas for assistance from impoverished nations, special offers for name-brand products, intriguing notes from prospective mates, and important notices regarding your bank account. Needless to say, most, if not all, of these emails are entirely illegitimate.

Now, most of us know better than to trust anything that shows up in the inbox, but the fact is that the sheer volume of spam mail being sent ensures that even if only a small fraction of recipients respond, open attachments, or do whatever ill-advised thing it is that the email’s author wants them to do, then the return is still measured in the millions.

5. The most commonly used password in 2012 was ”password” or “password1”

At least it’s easy to remember. Unfortunately, it’s also the first thing that a hacker is going to try. The propensity to choose simple-to-crack passwords is common among computer users because of several factors. One, as mentioned, these are passwords that are easy to remember. Two, they are ones that need to be chosen quickly, and thus they lack imagination. And three, they are created by people who believe that, given the overall size of the internet, they will be unlikely to be targeted for attack. However, as the next statistic proves, no one is too small or too unimportant to be overlooked when it comes to cybercrime.

6. Two out of three internet users are cybercrime victims

See? There’s really no need to target only the rich, famous, or important people when there are enough everyday internet users with little protection and a false sense of security.

Cybercrime is a very serious threat to the world in general and individuals in particular. So, do what you can to protect your information online. Invest in top-notch cybersecurity, increase the efficiency of your data flow with WAN optimization, and above all, be cautious. Otherwise, you might just find yourself becoming nothing more than another scary internet security statistic.