Social networks have become an integral part of daily life of internet users and cyber friends are now closer than our neighbors. Do we really know who our friends from social networks are?
To learn more about how people interact in the virtual environment, security company BitDefender has conducted a study where they examined how the users are exposed, and in what degree, to the risk of interacting on social networks, depending on the level of knowledge they have in regard to the threats that are circulating on each medium.
Over 2,700 respondents, between 18 and 65 years old were questioned about the nature of their relationships on social networks websites. On average, the participants to the study have 137 virtual friends – most of them being present or former colleagues from work or school (83%), friends who work in the same field (64%) and – surprisingly – people that are strangers to them (42%).
When it comes to social network threats spread, less than half of respondents (43%) said they have cautioned other friends from virtual communities once they have observed suspicious activities or links in the news. Why? The most common explanation – in 68% of cases – was that the subjects were unaware that this was a false application and that, moreover, they have tried it themselves (by helping, in fact, to spread it). Other explanations that were given: the lack of time (25%) and disinterest (7%).
Another question referred to how they protect their data and systems in social networks, namely, whether or not they use a security solution when logging in to Facebook. Nearly 93 percent gave a negative answer (“no need for this” or “do not know that there is such a thing”), which is, in fact, an almost complete exposure of accounts.