Most troubled by net security

[InfoSec News <isn () c4i org>]

http://news.com.au/technology_story/0,6257,3516222%255E15318,00.html

Barbara Gengler
01-01-2002

MORE than 70 per cent of Americans say they are concerned about
internet and computer security, according to a recent poll.

Another 74 per cent expressed fears that their personal information on
the net could be stolen or used for malicious purposes, according to
the results of a national poll released by the Information Technology
Association of America (ITAA) and managed secure communications
specialist, Tumbleweed Communications.

An equal number said they were concerned that cyber-attacks could
target critical infrastructure, such as phone networks or power
plants.

The poll, called Keeping the Faith: Government, Information Security
and Homeland Cyber Defense, is based on a telephone survey of 800
adults on November 26 and 27, conducted by Luntz Research.

Seventy four per cent of the respondents expressed worries about
terrorists using the internet to launch cyber-attacks against critical
infrastructure. Thirty-seven per cent said they were very concerned
while another 37 per cent said they are somewhat concerned.

The poll found that despite the fears, respondents failed to register
major changes in online behaviour as a result of the September 11
attacks or The War on Terror.

While only 17 per cent said they had complete faith in the ability of
the US government to prevent cyber attacks against agencies, 54 per
cent said they had some faith. Only 17 per cent said they had very
little faith.

ITAA spokesman Bob Cohen said the group was surprised by the level of
concern that respondents expressed about attacks on critical
infrastructure.

"We think it's notable that the public retains confidence that the
federal government will be able to assure the security of its
information systems and does not appear to be particularly troubled by
the possibility of unwarranted government surveillance," he said.

Few in the survey said they were concerned that in the post-September
11 environment their email would be subjected to government sleuthing
and only 10 per cent said they were a lot more concerned about federal
authorities monitoring or reading their email, while 14 per cent said
they were somewhat more concerned.

Only 5 per cent said they found themselves using the internet more for
updates and information, while 34 per cent said their usage had stayed
the same. Seven per cent said they use the internet a lot less since
the September 11.

Even with the Anthrax scare, email has not become a replacement for
paper mail. Fifty-five per cent said their use of email had not
changed, while 35 per cent said they did not use email. Only three per
cent said they had made a significant shift to email to avoid paper
mail.



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