Is identity theft the cyber crime consumers fear most?

This new report by F-Secure explores consumer views on identity theft and cyber crime. According to an F-Secure survey, most people think they’ll likely be victims of identity theft or cyber crime. And with good reason. Criminals who get hold of personal data data try anything from hacking our critical accounts to taking over our identities. Or—if the crooks think you’re worth it—they’ll use the data for a targeted attack.

Here are some examples of what we found:

• 8 in 10 consumers reuse passwords on multiple services, a behaviour that increases the risks of account compromises significantly
• 56% of consumers worry about loss of personal information as part of a data breach and 71% think that they are likely to fall victim of cyber crime or identity theft
• Service providers can address these worries and position themselves as the trusted provider