Cybersecurity: Staying Digitally Safe Against Cybercriminal Attacks

February 7, 2023

For many, the holiday season is spent reconnecting with family, enjoying some time off, and eating tasty homemade meals. But for cybercriminals, it’s a perfect time to strike.

Secure Data Recovery polled all 50 states to discover who is most vulnerable to cybercriminals attacks.

According to Secure Data Recovery’s poll in which 2,335 Americans were asked about their digital habits, New York residents were discovered to be the most digitally vulnerable. Opposingly, Kentucky topped the charts at #1 for being the most digitally secure.

Key findings

Overall, women are more digitally vulnerable than men but women back up their information more frequently.
71% stay secure by keeping their phone number, email address, and home address off social media.
79% are vulnerable because they don’t use auto-generated passwords
New York residents are the most digitally vulnerable — 1 in 3 have clicked on suspicious ads, links, or attachments in the past year
Kentucky is the #1 most digitally secure state with 54% of residents checking every permission related to a new app when they download it and only 26% listing their email, phone number, or address on social media.

The Top 5 Things People Do To Put Themselves At Risk

79% don’t use auto-generated passwords
78% don’t use multifactor authentication whenever possible
61% don’t keep a copy of their most important data in the cloud
60% don’t check permissions when downloading a new app
57% use free wifi and unsecured networks in public

The Top 5 Things People Do To Keep Themselves Digitally Secure

71% keep their phone number, email, and home address off social media
66% avoid clicking suspicious ads, links, or attachments
68% have antivirus software installed on their devices
57% use unique passwords for each account
54% keep two or more copies of important information locally

As technology continues to develop and advance, users must constantly be on guard against cybercriminals. From suspicious ads to unsafe downloads, hackers work beneath the surface, cloaked in deception. However, Secure Data Recovery is fighting against these digital battles by offering professional data recovery services and by raising awareness concerning how to remain digitally secure in a vulnerable, technological world.