Nicolette Dirk
WOMEN’s trusting nature make them easier targets for cybercriminals, compared to their male counterparts.
A 2014 consumer security-risk survey by Kapersky Lab showed 73 percent of women faced malware threats, compared to 65 percent of men.
More than 11 000 people aged 16 and older participated in the survey, where 51 percent were men.
The survey also found that 22 percent of women suffered a financial loss as a result of cybercrime versus 19 percent of men. Of the participants, 34 percent of women were not aware of mobile malware infections compared to the 23 percent of men.
Candice Sutherland, business development consultant at SHA Specialist Underwriters, said the statistics clearly showed cybercrime targeted against women was on the rise.
Women are also more trusting when it comes to lending their mobile devices to families and friends. The survey found 36 percent of women did not to take precautions when allowing friends and family to handle their phones, while for men, the figure was 28 percent.
Sutherland said trust made women more prone to cyberstalkers and revenge pornography from former partners.
“Once an ex-boyfriend or husband knows your password, they can post explicit pictures of you under a pseudonym. Tools such as spyware and GPS are used to track their target’s every move. Computers and the internet allow predators to exploit women and girls anonymously and easily – at the click of a button. With no physical evidence, this is difficult to prove to the police.”
Social media has also created a platform where women can become victims. Sutherland said criminals could easily find out what someone’s mother’s maiden name was; often one of the questions for online devices.
Women are urged to install anti-virus software, and Sutherland said enforcing an effective password policy (eight to10 characters) was another way of protection.
“Change default passwords and think before you click. One needs to accept the hazards of progress in cyber space along with the benefits. Women particularly have to approach any online interactions with the same degree of caution they do with physical ones,” she said.
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