Data breaches leave the Australian public fuming

Public concern about data breaches, online privacy and identity fraud is on the rise in Australia, with 2013 shaping up to be the year when majority of Australians start taking cyber security seriously.

According to the latest Unisys Security Index conducted by Newspoll, public concerns have hit their highest level in five years, with the index for Australia jumping 19 points to 129 out of a possible score of 300, when compared to March 2012.

The research also highlights that Australians are particularly concerned about data breaches, with more than 60 per cent of Australians surveyed saying they don’t trust organisations with their personal data. Financial institutions (banks, credit card companies) and telcos are seen as particularly untrustworthy.

Nearly three-quarters of the 1200 respondents said that they were personally concerned about a potential data breach of their information held by financial institutions including banks and credit card companies. Two in three said they were concerned about data breaches by telecommunication providers, and more than half were concerned about government services and health organisations.

Percentage of Australians concerned about a data breach by accidental loss, theft or deliberate hacking at the following types of organisations:

Percentage of Australians concerned about a data breach by accidental loss, theft or deliberate hacking at the following types of organisations:
Financial services such as credit card companies, banks	74%
Telecommunication providers and Internet Service Providers	67%
Government services such as social welfare, tax office or immigration	59%
Health organisations, hospitals and doctors	56%
Airlines and hotels including frequent flyer programs	50%

The emphasis on data breaches should be a wake-up call for organisations and further bolster the federal government’s resolve as it finalises its mandatory data breach notification laws.

“These results show that the public is very aware of the threat of data breaches and would expect organisations to be accountable,” John Kendall, security program director for Unisys Asia Pacific, said.

While the data provided by Unisys highlights the public appetite for accountability, the real test, according to Kendall, will be to effectively manage compliance of the new laws put in place.

Kendall recommends that notification be triggered by those data breaches that have the greatest risk of harm and that the laws focus on the potential impact of the data breach on individuals and organisations.

Data breaches may be at the forefront, but the Unisys survey reflects a rise in overall security concerns across Australia. As the nation prepares for the next federal election, the level of security concern has increased markedly across all four security areas surveyed including:

· National Security Index – 128 (up 25 from 103 in March 2012)

· Financial Security Index – 139 (up 18 from 121 in March 2012)

· Internet Security Index – 123 (up 17 from 106 in March 2012)

· Personal Security Index – 124 (up 15 from 109 in March 2012)

Tuesday, May 28, 2013