How is Internet security perceived by the general consumer

Perception is reality? That's what they say. But is it? Baseline.com had an article posted today about a recent survey commissioned by Cisco. They wanted to find out what remote workers using their work PCs thought about the threats that lie on the Internet(full article: http://www.baselinemag.com/c/a/Security/Survey-Users-Believe-Internet-Is...)

According to the survey 56 percent of remote workers using company PCs to access the Internet say their perception of Internet security increased in 2007. In 2006, 48 percent said they felt the Internet was safe. The most significant gains were in the United States (60 percent), China (64 percent) and Brazil (71 percent).

Is the Internet actually safer now than it was a year or two ago? Most experts agree that the treats have actually increased and will get even worse in the years to come.

This contradiction of what users perceive and the reality should set off alarm bells in the IT security field. Security professionals should communicate the threats to their works on a consistent basis. Workers may have a false sense of security thinking that their IT departments are looking after their PCs and are protecting them from the threats that lie beyond the company wall.

The truth is IT security professionals can never guarantee the safety of mobile technology devices. Threats are constantly changing and users are always pushing the envelope.

The best defense is having an educated workforce that knows the threats and is able to avoid them. Security is all about risk management. You can never fully protect yourself, but you can definitely reduce your risks by following established guidelines.

Nick
http://www.outervillage.com
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