Need for better identity protection

Online banking continues to provide significant levels of convenience for consumers, with quick access to checking and savings accounts, the ability to pay bills automatically, transfer funds and perform other financial transactions.

There is dramatic adoption of the use of social networks in which people use to form and nurture personal and professional relationships with each other.

Finally, healthcare organizations as well as local, state and federal government agencies are bringing the power and convenience of online services to the consumer – offering access to personal healthcare records, driver’s license renewals and payment of tax bills.

A new RSA survey that polled more than 4,500 consumers revealed that consumers using online banking (86 percent) websites shared more concern with the theft of their personal information than those using healthcare portals (64 percent) and government websites (68 percent).

As a result of these concerns, more than half of all consumers reported that they are less likely to share information and interact on these websites.

Consumers agreed that their identities should be better protected than a simple username and password on social networking (59 percent), healthcare (64 percent), government (70 percent) and online banking (80 percent) websites. Nine in ten consumers are willing to use a stronger form of security if offered.

Christopher Young, Senior Vice President at RSA said: “Consumer education and awareness is one of the first lines of defense in the ongoing battle against online crime. Organizations will continue to take advantage of the many benefits offered by the Internet and consumers will seek the convenience offered online – all despite the inherent risks. In order to maximize the full value of what the online world can offer, organizations need to take a layered approach to Internet security in order to best protect their customers’ information.”