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Mobile Security: The Great Misconception

Smartphone users feel more secure: Kaspersky Lab reveals the latest findings from their Pan-European Research Regarding Smartphone IT Security

Abingdon, UK, 7 April - Research from Kaspersky Lab shows that many users feel more secure using smartphones to surf the Internet than PCs, and that a majority consider the risk of losing personal data higher on computers than on smartphones.

The latest results have been released from a survey conducted for Kaspersky Lab by the Association of Independent Research Centres. 1,600 smartphone users were surveyed in Great Britain, France, Italy and Spain. The survey examines the extent to which European smartphone users are aware of the current mobile malware threats and whether or not they consider smartphone protection a necessity.

The new findings highlight a dangerous misconception with regards to smartphone protection and demonstrate security software is less common on mobile devices than it is on PCs. Please see more details outlining the new survey findings below:

Should you be interested in speaking to a Kaspersky Lab security expert for further details about the survey findings, please contact me on either johnpaul.charles@berkeleypr.co.uk or 0118 988 2992.

• There has been a recent increase in the number of attacks on mobile operating systems like Android and iOS, and experts expect to see considerably more of these in the future. Despite this, users in Europe, according to the Kaspersky Lab survey, feel more secure accessing the Internet via a mobile device. 51 percent of those surveyed are afraid of having their computer infected with malware while surfing the Internet, compared with the fact that 27% of respondents consider a virus infection on their computer a serious threat.

• One interesting detail which emerged from the survey is that users consider the risk of losing personal data lower on a smartphone than on a PC – despite the fact that around a fifth of all smartphone users have already experienced the loss or theft of a mobile device.

• The majority of users – over 90 percent in most European countries – store personal data, such as photos, emails or contact details, on their smartphones. Around one-third also save login information, such as PIN codes or passwords, for various services on their mobile devices, demonstrating a large gap between secure reality and user perception

ENDS

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About Kaspersky Lab
Kaspersky Lab is the largest antivirus company in Europe. It delivers some of the world’s most immediate protection against IT security threats, including viruses, spyware, crimeware, hackers, phishing, and spam. The company is ranked among the world’s top four vendors of security solutions for endpoint users. Kaspersky Lab products provide superior detection rates and one of the industry’s fastest outbreak response times for home users, SMBs, large enterprises and the mobile computing environment. Kaspersky® technology is also used worldwide inside the products and services of the industry’s leading IT security solution providers. Learn more at www.kaspersky.com. For the latest on antivirus, anti-spyware, anti-spam and other IT security issues and trends, visit www.viruslist.com.

Editorial contact:
Berkeley PR
John Paul Charles
kasperskylab@berkeleypr.co.uk
Telephone: 0118 988 2992
Fax: 0118 988 6911
Three Mile Cross
RG7 1BA, Reading

Kaspersky Lab UK
Ruth Knowles
Ruth.Knowles@kasperskylab.co.uk
Telephone: 0871 789 1633
Fax: N/A
Milton Business Park
OX14 4RY, Oxford

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