Cybersecurity is a continuously growing threat to technology. From personal computer viruses to corporate-level data breaches, cybersecurity facts prove that virtually everyone is at risk for a cyber attack. Regardless of how tech-savvy you think you are, these facts about cybersecurity are an eye-opening look at just how dangerous cyberwarfare can be.
6 Cybersecurity Facts
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- The age groups most vulnerable to cybercrimes are young adults and adults over age 75. (source) While many people consider the elderly to be most at risk, young adults are also common victims of cybercrimes. Even though those under the age of 25 are more tech-savvy, they are also more likely to share personal data than any other age group.
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- 30% of computers in America are infected with some sort of malware. (source) This puts the U.S. in the top 10 countries in terms of infection rate. It’s estimated that 560,000 instances of new malware are created every day.
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- Considered the most destructive computer virus, the MyDoom virus caused an estimated $55 billion in damage. (source) MyDoom was responsible for nearly 25% of all emails sent in 2004 and caused billions of dollars in damages. It remains the fastest-spreading email worm in history.
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- In 2020, 47% of Americans experienced financial identify theft. (source) The monetary losses from these cybercrimes resulted in more than $712 billion in losses, up 42% from 2019. The incredible increase is attributed to the high unemployment rate during the pandemic.
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- The 2013 Yahoo data breach is the largest breach of the 21st century. (source) While this data breach occurred in 2013, it wasn’t announced by Yahoo until December 2016. 3 billion accounts were accessed by the hacking group that launched the attack.
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- 79% of Americans share their passwords. (source) Despite the high number of Americans that share passwords for things like streaming services with friends and family, only 13% are concerned about identity theft.
