Cyber security expert, Kaspersky, advised millenials to be wary of cyber threats and prioritise online security especially now, when more people are increasing their time online during this Covid-19 period. — AFP photo
KUCHING: As the ‘new normal’ has forced many to work from home, the home is becoming a technological hub for millennials.
Cyber security expert, Kaspersky, advised millenials to be wary of cyber threats and prioritise online security especially now, when more people are increasing their time online during this Covid-19 period.
In a new study, Kaspersky said, online security tops the charts as the most important factor for millennials looking to find their ‘Digital Comfort Zones’ at home, despite the fact that over a third of them (37 per cent) think they’re boring to be the victim of cybercrime.
“2020 has been a defining year for the digital home. With many of us all over the world in lockdown, the amount we interact with, and rely on, technology has increased dramatically.
“Because of this, we wanted to conduct a study that would unveil just how much this year has impacted our actions and our feelings when it comes to our digital life; what are our ‘digital comfort zones’, and what they mean to us now?
“It’s not a surprise that millennials, who will shape how society uses technology for years to come, are placing more emphasis on digital security – particularly as the line between work and home becomes increasingly blurred.
“Protecting ourselves from digital threats can be simple, and this helps us better understand how we can help optimise safety within individual ‘digital comfort zones,” Kaspersky Marketing vice president Andrew Winton, said.
“It is said that millennials are digital natives and this could lead to other challenges that require this group to find their own ‘digital comfort zone’.
“The fact that many share accommodation with flat mates can actually make them feel digitally insecure, especially at the start of cohabitation.
“Also their tendency to move home and work can make this feeling even worse.
“In this instance it is important to talk and communicate openly about these worries with flat mates: to share the costs of security software, make explicit rules for using any common devices and to get to know each other better,” Ramon Llull University leading psychologist Dr Berta Aznar Martínez, commented.
Kaspersky’s latest global report, ‘More Connected Than Ever Before: How We Build Our Digital Comfort Zones’, explores how we are changing our habits to ensure we are comfortable with the role of technology in our lives. Although millennials intend to tighten up their online security, their actions tell a different story.
Millennials are now spending nearly two (1.8) extra hours online everyday compared to the start of the year – bringing their daily average up to 7.1 hours a day.
Almost half (49 per cent) say this increased time online has made them more aware of their digital security. Millennials are spending most of their time on social media, but almost two thirds (61 per cent) say that the rise of online dating from home is a particular concern for their digital security.
To address these concerns, almost half (52 per cent) of millennials now say that they only run trustworthy apps on their devices from official stores such as Apple Store and Google Play, and 49 per cent run regular anti-virus scans on each of their devices to protect themselves.
However, a mischievous streak also appears in 13 per cent of millennials, who admitted to using their neighbours’ Wi-Fi in the past without them knowing.