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Older Canadians (55+) are much more likely to be concerned about cyber threats and take basic precautions to protect themselves

TORONTO, Sept. 27, 2022 /CNW/ - A new poll on cyber security from RBC shows that while most Canadians (71 per cent) are knowledgeable about various types of cyber threats to their personal information, nearly half of Canadians (47 per cent) are worried that they will be a victim of cybercrime in the coming year.

"As Canadians live more of their life online, cybercrime has also grown year over year and become more sophisticated," says Adam Evans, Chief Information Security Officer, RBC. "The poll reveals that despite a high level of concern, most Canadians have not yet taken steps to protect themselves and might struggle to recover from a cyber-attack."

Cyber criminals have become more sophisticated and continuously evolve. While most people are aware of better-known cyber threats such as malware (60 per cent), phishing (56 per cent) and ransomware (47 per cent) there is lower awareness of newer threats. Only (30 per cent) were aware of pharming and vishing (28 per cent) giving these activities the potential to do more harm.

Pharming is the practice of redirecting internet users to a fake website in order to steal personal credentials. With vishing, criminals call or leave voicemails claiming to be representatives of a reputable company in an attempt to gain banking or other credentials.

Preparing for a cyber-attack

Across all age groups, two thirds (65 per cent) agree they need to develop a personal recovery plan. Yet despite their concerns, just 8 per cent have cyber protection through an insurance policy.

The poll also revealed that older Canadians aged 55+ are much more likely to be concerned about cyber threats and are especially concerned about unauthorized access to online accounts or personal information (83 per cent), having their email or social media account hacked (76 per cent), or being a victim of online fraud and scam (76 per cent).

Overall, the poll revealed that the top concerns around cyber threats and security include:

Protecting against cybercrime

When it comes to simple steps to protect against cybercrime, the poll revealed that only half of Canadians use antivirus software (50 per cent) or have multi-factor authentication (49 per cent) as security measures. Just over two in five change their passwords periodically (46 per cent) or use a strong password generator (42 per cent).

Younger people in the 18-34 age group are significantly more likely than their older counterparts to say they are knowledgeable about most threats to their safety and security of their personal information. However, they are not more likely to take protective measures:

In comparison

Tips to protect yourself against online cyberattacks and increase your cyber security

About the RBC Study

These are the findings of an Ipsos poll conducted on behalf of RBC. The survey was conducted in English and French. A sample of 1,500 Canadians was surveyed online via the Ipsos I-Say panel from Aug 12th to Aug 17th, 2022.

About RBC

Royal Bank of Canada is a global financial institution with a purpose-driven, principles-led approach to delivering leading performance. Our success comes from the 92,000+ employees who leverage their imaginations and insights to bring our vision, values and strategy to life so we can help our clients thrive and communities prosper. As Canada's biggest bank and one of the largest in the world, based on market capitalization, we have a diversified business model with a focus on innovation and providing exceptional experiences to our 17 million clients in Canada, the U.S. and 27 other countries. Learn more at rbc.com.

We are proud to support a broad range of community initiatives through donations, community investments and employee volunteer activities. See how at rbc.com/community-social-impact.

SOURCE RBC

For further information: Kiara Famularo, Communications, RBC, [emailprotected], 647-272-4077

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Almost half of Canadians are worried about being a victim of cybercrime in the coming year: New RBC Cyber Security Poll - Canada NewsWire