1 in 3 Brits are victims of cybertheft

A recent study on cybercrime involving in the UK has revealed that in spite of a widespread awareness there is still a worrying level of complacency towards the risks of cyber theft.

The report, commissioned by AVG, was designed to provide an understanding of the differing behaviours and attitudes towards cybertheft.

The survey unearthed some marked differences between the men and women in the way they respond to the risk of cyber theft:

One-in-three men said they had experienced some form of cybercrime

“One-in-three men said they had experienced some form of cybercrime

Yet, of those affected by cybercrime, only 18 % change their internet usage habits.

Forty percent of men felt more should be done to make people aware of how to avoid cyber theft.

The survey found women tend to be more cautious about the level of cyber protection they have yet they continued to shop and do their banking over the internet as much as the men do.

Larry Bridwell, global security strategist at AVG, said: "Since instances of cyber theft are about the same for both sexes it shows that women need to familiarize themselves more with internet security so that they can use the Web with greater confidence. Men on the other hand need to be less macho and think twice about whether they have really done enough to protect themselves - especially when it comes to the amount of personal information they supply when making purchases and financial transactions online."