According to a new report from cybersecurity firm Norton, online hackers stole £130 billion from consumers in 2017 – £4.6 billion of which was targeted towards British consumers.
The most common hacks were low-tech and in the form of fraudulent emails, which tricked users into sharing personal information.
Norton warned in the report that internet users are not doing enough to protect themselves. Many consumers are share passwords to online accounts with other people, and likely to use the same password for all online accounts.
The report showed how one in 12 British consumers has had personal digital files held for ransom. 22 percent admitted to paying the ransom to cyber hackers.
“Paying the ransom may seem like a natural response to get your personal files back,” Nick Shaw, vice-president of Norton in Europe.
“However, handing the hackers money simply continues to fund their efforts with no guarantee that you’ll personally be able to regain access to your digital life. In the case of ransomware, crime pays, and we can all take some simple steps to thwart their efforts.”
Victims also appear to believe they will remain safe from future attacks, despite a continued relaxed approach to cybersecurity.
“Consumers’ actions revealed a dangerous disconnect: despite a steady stream of cybercrime sprees reported by media, too many people appear to feel invincible and skip taking even basic precautions to protect themselves,” said Shaw.
“This disconnect highlights the need for consumer digital safety and the urgency for consumers to get back to basics when it comes to doing their part to prevent cybercrime.”
It was not also simply a financial loss felt by cybersecurity victims. The report showed how victims spent an average of two working days dealing with the aftermath of the security breach.
The researchers for the report surveyed 21,549 adults across 20 countries.