Protection of Personal Data Tops Health and Household Items for Concerned Brits

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Avast Software, Inc.

28 Oct, 2021, 06:00 GMT

New Survey from Avast Highlights Concerns Over Ransomware, Scams, Identity Theft and Data Leaks

PRAGUE, Oct. 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- A new study from Avast (LSE:AVST), shows Brits now rank personal data as their most important asset to protect from everyday risks (such as accident, damage, or crime) out of all non-legally obligatory policies in the UK. While legally mandated home (82%) and car (77%) insurance tops the table, an almost equal number of respondents (76%) ranked their personal data as their most valuable asset in need of protection, above household items (71%) and health (70%).

Over the past eighteen months, global digital security and privacy leader Avast has observed an increase in Covid-inspired attacks designed to take advantage of increased time spent online in all areas of life during the pandemic. Covid-19 scams, socially engineered phishing attacks, and high-profile ransomware incidents on critical services, have contributed to the majority of respondents voicing concern over issues such as identity theft (69%), leaks of personal data (67%), ransomware attacks (64%) and stalkerware attacks (63%).

Despite this, over half (58%) of Brits say none of their insurance providers have offered cyber insurance as an option so far, and although 57% reported they are aware of cyber insurance, over half did not know what it would protect them from. With a growing number of people more afraid of the potential for cyber-attacks than physical crime, there is a clear demand for insurers to augment their offerings to include securing consumers' digital infrastructure.

Nick Viney, Senior Vice President & General Manager, Partner, at Avast, said, "With a clear lack of consumer awareness of available cyber insurance policies and scope of what they cover, it is unsurprising that such a small number of people (only 6%) have personal data protection in place. With concerns rising and the threat landscape increasing, now is the time for insurers to be addressing this critical issue."

With personal data currently being sold on the dark web for the same price as a small bar of chocolate[1], there is a substantial case for consumers to get a hold of cyber insurance policies to prevent them losing out to cybercriminals. Cybercrime costs the UK economy £11 billion a year (£210 for every British adult), according to insurance company RSA[2]. Avast recently reported a significant increase in ransomware attacks during the early pandemic months, with ransomware having grown by 20% during March and April 2020 in comparison to January and February – including multiple ransomware attacks targeting hospitals, putting an enormous pool of consumer data at risk.

Avast partners with insurance providers to offer their customers personal data and identity protection, along with cyber insurance programs. The company also offers threat intelligence feeds which insurance providers can leverage as an add-on service for their customers, sharing insights on the latest cyber threats. More information can be found at: https://www.avast.com/en-us/partners

About Avast:
 Avast  (LSE:AVST), a FTSE 100 company, is a global leader in digital security and privacy, headquartered in Prague, Czech Republic. With over 435 million users online, Avast offers products under the Avast and AVG brands that protect people from threats on the internet and the evolving IoT threat landscape. The company's threat detection network is among the most advanced in the world, using machine learning and artificial intelligence technologies to detect and stop threats in real time. Avast digital security products for Mobile, PC or Mac are top-ranked and certified by VB100, AV-Comparatives, AV-Test, SE Labs and others. Avast is a member of Coalition Against Stalkerware, No More Ransom and Internet Watch Foundation. Visit: www.avast.com.

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[1]  In 2020, consumer data was valued at over £0.26 per person (for 18-24 year olds), a total demographic cost of £10,344,666. https://uk.pcmag.com/news/130187/know-your-datas-worth 

[2]  https://www.rsabroker.com/news/why-cybercrime-insurance-modern-must

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