96 percent of people use technology to relax, according to the latest survey performed by Cintand commissioned by cybersecurity company NordVPN. Cybersecurity experts are alarmed because while people use technology for relaxation, users may not take their cybersecurity risks into consideration.
“In 2019, the FBI released a warning stating that smart TVs can make users vulnerable to surveillance and attacks by bad actors. Since then, user security technology has become more advanced, but internet-connected devices remain vulnerable,” says Adrianus Warmenhoven, a cybersecurity expert at NordVPN.
When people are relaxed, they often forget about possible cybersecurity risks. Smartphones are especially at risk because today, no other gadget knows more about its user. That makes smartphones a very appealing target for hackers.
Adrianus Warmenhoven
Adrianus Warmenhoven
Relaxation and cybersecurity
Warmenhoven shares cybersecurity safety tips for device users such as keeping apps and the phone’s operating system (OS) up to date, using cybersecurity tools, reading up on apps before downloading, avoiding unofficial app stores and avoiding unknown Wi-Fi. He says it also pays to be vigilant by not clicking on suspicious links, not giving out numbers to strangers, and being wary of unknown numbers.
The study surveyed countries from all over the world including 1000 Malaysians aged 18-64.
