Senior citizens are frequently the victims of cybercriminals using email, online and phone scams to gain access to their personal information. It's often noted that this age group is targeted due to their lack of technical sophistication. The same can be said about the casual email user that opens just about any attachment sent from a so-called friend.
But that's becoming less of a problem as people of all ages become more tech savvy, right? Today, 95% of all Americans own a cell phone and kids are practically born with a smartphone in their hand.
However, the reality is being a tech "power user" doesn't decrease the likelihood that some sort of breach will occur. In fact, it's been shown that Millennials are the most likely demographic to fall for cyber crimes due to the large amount of time they spend online. Accordingly, many brands are targeting Millennials by offering apps that provide streamlined and effortless ways to protect them from identity theft and other forms of fraud.
For businesses, the fact that BYOD (bring your own device) is becoming the norm only compounds the problem. According to a new Finn Partners 'Cybersecurity at Work' survey, more than half of all employees (55%) are using personal devices for work – devices such as smartphones that house personal information, as well as corporate data.
These employees aren't just using their mobile devices to read company email. They're downloading every manner of app imaginable to their devices. It's not that employees are downloading malicious or risky apps on purpose. They're downloading apps they think they need. And their accessing all sorts of valuable data at insecure WiFi hotspots like coffee bars, airports and hotels. Through their everyday actions, they're making it easy for sensitive personal and corporate information to easily fall into the hands of hackers.
Interested in learning more about the 'Cybersecurity at Work' survey? Download our research report and infographic and share with us your thoughts.