Despite awareness of the need for cybersecurity, many consumers are not taking proactive steps to keep their personal information protected from identity theft, says McAfee, a global cybersecurity firm.
The company's survey, "New Security Priorities in an Increasing Connected World", shows that with the increased volume of attacks and breaches, 61% of consumers surveyed claimed they are more worried about cybersecurity today than they were five years ago.
Some 33% of consumers rank protecting their identity as their No.1 cybersecurity priority ahead of protecting privacy, connected devices, data and connected home devices.
"2017 was a big year for cybercriminals taking advantage of security holes in corporate networks and downloading lots of personally identifiable information about consumers. There's no sign of these attacks slowing down," said Gary Davis, McAfee's chief consumer security evangelist.
He said now it is more important than ever for consumers to stay vigilant and take the necessary precautions to help safeguard their online identity and digital lives.
Despite the growing risk of identity theft and fraud, only 37% of consumers have signed up for an identity theft protection solution. Some 28% of consumers claim they have no plans to sign up for a service that monitors and helps protect their identity and personal information.
Research indicates the primary ways consumers rely on monitoring their identity include checking online bank and credit card accounts for unauthorised charges (67%), checking social media for fraudulent posts (43%), and using credit monitoring services (37%).
While these methods can be effective at monitoring, consumers need to understand they are still vulnerable and should take advantage of services that not only monitor but also protect against fraud, should it occur.
When considering an identity theft protection solution consumers should look for a product that offers cyber-monitoring of the dark web, and protection from change of address fraud.
To stay safe online and protect what matters most, McAfee recommends minor tactics like changing default passwords right away.
Using a unique password can go a long way to prevent users' personal information from being stolen.
An identity theft protection service helps monitor use of users' personally identifying information, alerts them of potential problems, and provides insurance against financial losses and recovery tools in the event of ID theft or fraud.
Updating device and application software when it becomes available from the manufacturer is an important step in personal security.
Many new versions of software or operating systems contain specific security updates designed to protect users.
Regular reviews of online bank and credit account transactions can also help users spot suspicious activities or purchases.
