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Majority of Saudi Arabia’s population is scared of cyberhacking: Report

73 percent of individuals in Saudi Arabia worry about their devices being hacked or attacked

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Amid a global surge in cybercrime at all levels, Saudi residents raised concerns about the threat of attack, with 73 percent saying that they are worried about their personal devices being hacked.

Cisco has revealed the results of its recent consumers security survey in Riyadh, the study revealed that 54 percent of respondents said that their personal data is more at risk now than it was 12 months ago because of corporate cybercrime. 

69 percent of users primarily use their personal phone for work tasks and 61 percent have used unsecured public networks for basic work tasks. 

29 percent of respondents said that they do not know or do not use multi-factor authentication (MFA). 

“Cisco consumer survey in KSA is giving us a tremendous insight into general approach to security when the private and the public are blending in the hybrid workplace. While the pandemic has accelerated the hybrid work model and the remote access to business data, we have identified many red flags consumers should pay attention to,” said Fady Younes, cybersecurity director, EMEA service providers and MEA. 

“We have noticed that unconscious insider threats are becoming an increasingly common part of the attack chain. Even the smallest of data leaks can lead to huge implications on the cyber-safety of individuals,” he added. 

Results in Saudi Arabia revealed that 69 percent of people frequently use their personal devices for work tasks such as sending emails and 66 percent of people frequently make business calls, only 35 percent have never done work tasks or worked on a business document on their personal devices. 

72 percent have updated their password in the past 6 months – the highest percentage across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA).

A major challenge in closing the gaps in cybersecurity is educating millions of people at a consistent level, the report stated. 

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Nicole Abigael

Nicole Abigael is a Reporter at Arabian Business and the host of the AB Majlis podcast. She covers a diverse range of topics including luxury real estate, high-net-worth individuals, technology, and lifestyle...

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  • Nicole Abigael is a Reporter at Arabian Business and the host of the AB Majlis podcast. She covers a diverse range of topics including luxury real estate, high-net-worth individuals, technology, and lifestyle trends across the Middle East. Nicole...

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