New research has revealed the depth of UK consumers’ attachment to their mobile phones – as well as their lack of awareness of how to protect these all-important devices, which play an increasingly significant role in our lives.
- More than 55% of Brits would be devastated if anything happened to their phone
- A further 70% never turn off their phone
- More than a quarter (26%) of people in the UK spend between five and 10 hours a day online
- However, 47% of Brits don’t protect their mobile devices.
A study commissioned by Kaspersky has revealed that while 82% of desktop users have installed antivirus and security software on these devices, just 53% of smartphone and owners have followed suit.
Phones have evolved past texting, calling and playing Snake – they’ve now become a huge part of our lives, used for shopping, socialising and even work, as well as holding our precious memories. In fact, as people continue to depend more and more on their phones, smartphone separation anxiety is becoming an increasingly widespread problem. Nomophobia, shortened from ‘no mobile phone phobia’, describes a fear of not having your phone that’s so persistent and severe it affects daily life – and even sleep. But despite this growing dependency on mobile phones, research has found that UK consumers are somewhat negligent when it comes to protecting their devices – though they protect their desktop home computers.
More than a quarter (26%) of Brits spend up to 10 hours a day online – and the longer they stay connected, the more they risk falling victim to cybercrime. Two-in-five consumers without antivirus and security software on their smartphone believe they are taking appropriate precautions to prevent being hacked, by either never clicking on links from a company they do not know (42%), always using secure Wi-Fi connections (41%), or not opening emails from an unknown sender (40%). However, without using the right device protection, nearly half (47%) of UK consumers are essentially leaving their mobile devices open to threats.
This is despite the fact that consumers are far more attached to their smartphones: more than half (55%) of smartphone owners would be devastated if anything happened to their device, while 47% could not live without their phone. A cortisol stress test, performed with two smartphone users as part of this campaign, actually showed that the stress levels of both participants were higher when they didn’t have access to their phones – compared to days when they did.
Notably, the study reveals that millennials are the generation most attached to their phones but are the least likely to protect them. More than 69% of millennials would be devastated if anything happened to their phone, compared to 55% of consumers overall. However, 38% of millennials have never even thought about protecting their mobile devices.
“Our phones have become an essential part of living our lives to the full. And yet, we seem to have forgotten about their vulnerabilities. Mobile devices contain a potentially devastating amount of information about us, which is fast becoming the most valuable commodity in the world. Consequently, the more we do on our mobile devices, the more we need to think about protecting them. Just like you wouldn’t leave a pot of gold unprotected, you shouldn’t leave your phone as such. While it may weigh less, your phone is just as valuable”, comments Alexis Conran, Times Radio host and presenter of The Joy of Techs.
Kaspersky’s research shows that the most undertaken activities online by Brits, are email (61%), social media (60%) and online shopping (58%). All of these carry significant cyber threats, such as phishing, spyware and ransomware.
“It’s almost second nature to think of installing antivirus software on a laptop or desktop, but this research shows that the same isn’t true of smartphones or tablets. It’s important to ask: why aren’t consumers protecting these devices in the same way as they would their desktops or laptops? As mobile malware becomes more advanced, simply taking precautions to avoid being hacked is no longer enough. When protected with antivirus software, consumers can better defend their devices from potential attacks,” says David Emm, principal security researcher at Kaspersky.
About Kaspersky
Kaspersky is a global cybersecurity company founded in 1997. Kaspersky’s deep threat intelligence and security expertise is constantly transforming into innovative security solutions and services to protect businesses, critical infrastructure, governments and consumers around the globe. The company’s comprehensive security portfolio includes leading endpoint protection and a number of specialized security solutions and services to fight sophisticated and evolving digital threats. Over 400 million users are protected by Kaspersky technologies and we help 270,000 corporate clients protect what matters most to them. Learn more at www.kaspersky.com.
