By Doctor Security
Did you see our latest announcement regarding the results of the Harris Interactive survey that Check Point commissioned?
It found that only 10 percent of the people surveyed use encryption to protect their sensitive digital files. Check out the press release that reveals the top-level findings and also announces the availability of the new, cool ZoneAlarm encryption solution for consumers called DataLock.
I had a chance to go through the survey report and there’s a lot of interesting research in it. Here are some key findings from the 2200+ adults who were surveyed:
Types of Personal PC and Usage:
36% of them were mobile PC (laptops and netbooks) users
84% use their computers mostly for personal use
90% have private data stored on their personal computers
10% use file data encryption
Comment: Only 10%!!! That’s a lot of unprotected private data.
In the Event of Laptop Loss or Theft, People are Most Concerned About:
56% about private data loss (total)
35% about hardware replacement cost
Comment: There’s a lot of concern about losing private data.
The concern for private data theft found in the Harris Interactive survey is supported by an earlier study about ZoneAlarm users done by Check Point’s research team. It had some interesting findings as well. For instance:
What Data Do ZoneAlarm Customers Want Encrypted on their PCs:
85% passwords
81% banking
70% personal videos and photos
67% email messages
52% tax records and business documents
Comment: Surprising that banking, tax records, and business documents aren’t in the 90% level.
Desktop Usage vs. Laptop Usage:
10% of laptop users don’t use any data protection
4% of desktop users don’t use any data protection
Comment: This is surprising too. You would think that more laptop users would have data protection, since laptops are more likely to be lost or stolen than a non-portable desktop computer.
Types of Data Stored – Desktops vs. Laptops:
Tax Records – 42% of desktops vs. 60% of laptops
Business Documents – 33% of desktops vs. 67% of laptops
Personal Photos and Videos – 83% of desktops vs. 60% of laptops
You can see more survey results here.
There is clearly a gap between people who are concerned with data theft and the number who have taken steps to secure their sensitive files. I think this is because there hasn’t been a consumer-friendly solution to address the problem until now. ZoneAlarm DataLock is an easy way to protect confidential information on your computer. It was designed specifically for consumers and small businesses with laptops and netbooks. It takes only a few minutes to set-up and works with any brand of security software you are using.
You can begin safeguarding your personal computer files today through an easy download available at: www.zonealarm.com.