Data loss more distressing than a car accident, survey finds

Digital memories deserve greater protection, according to Kaspersky Lab after a new survey found that data loss is more distressing than breaking up with a partner, a car accident or an ill pet.

Most people recognise there are security threats to their information, but not all take measures to protect the data they love, according to Kaspersky Lab’s research, which questioned more than 16,000 adults from 17 countries.

Nearly three quarters (73 per cent) agree that cyber criminals and hackers pose a high risk to their data, and two-thirds say malware (65 per cent) is a high-risk threat.

However, only around half protect their devices with passwords or PINs, with 53 per cent using a password for their smartphones, 42 per cent for their tablets and 48 per cent for their computers.

Personal photos and videos were deemed to be the most valuable and irreplaceable data stored on digital devices. Some 44 per cent of respondents said they had lost this data from smartphones in the past and only 16 per cent were able to recover all of their data once it has been lost.

Andrei Mochola, head of consumer business at Kaspersky Lab, believes precious data is not getting the protection it deserves.

“Reliance on multiple devices to store what matters most calls for a more robust and reliable approach,” he commented.

“Only then can all points of vulnerability be covered and any gaps in user knowledge or unintentional data mishaps be addressed.”