Kyndryl’s Chris Davis discusses the company’s recent report on Irish consumer cybersecurity trends, which indicates a rise in attacks alongside inefficient practices.
Last week, IT infrastructure services provider Kyndryl published new research highlighting cybersecurity trends affecting Irish consumers, with one in five (20pc) respondents directly experiencing a cyberattack or online fraud in the past year.
Additional respondents reported attacks within their household, with the combined responses revealing that more than one in three (36pc) households have experienced cybercrime over the past 12 months.
The research, which was carried out by 3Gem Research and Insights, was compiled through an online survey of 1,000 adults across Ireland and builds on findings of organisational readiness that Kyndryl recently published in its inaugural Readiness Report.
While the report revealed that a significant number of Irish citizens have experienced cybercrime in the past year, it also highlighted a lack of basic cybersecurity precautions among the respondents, including poor practices when it comes to passwords and online behaviour.
“While businesses are grappling with the complexities of maintaining future-ready IT infrastructure, as highlighted in our recent Kyndryl Readiness Report, the same principles apply to consumers: effective cybersecurity starts with people,” said Chris Davis, managing director of Kyndryl Ireland, at the time of the report’s release.
“Cybersecurity readiness isn’t just about having the latest tools – it’s about fostering awareness and proactive behaviours among individuals. Increasing public awareness and education is crucial to help individuals protect themselves in an ever-evolving digital environment.”
Poor password practices
One of the report’s most striking findings was that 48pc of respondents stated that they use the same password across multiple accounts.
With 20pc of respondents confirming a direct experience with cybercrime, this highlights a “critical gap between awareness and personal accountability when it comes to cybersecurity”, according to Davis.
“Consumers understand the risks, yet many still engage in behaviours that increase their vulnerability or exposure to being victims of a cyberattack,” he says. “Addressing this requires a collective effort – technology can only go so far if people don’t adopt basic security practices.”
Meanwhile, 41pc of respondents said that they rely on their own memory when it comes to storing passwords – a practice that Davis says often leads to weak, reused credentials.
“The best approach is to use a password manager, yet only 24pc of respondents currently do,” he says. “We need to encourage broader adoption of these tools, alongside alternative authentication methods like biometrics and passkeys, to make secure access both seamless and effective.
“Password complexity remains a challenge, but the solution isn’t just making them longer or more complicated – it’s about making security easier for users.”
When it comes to online consumer behaviour, the report found that more than a quarter (26pc) of those surveyed use public Wi-Fi for sensitive activities such as banking and shopping. This activity is particularly prevalent among younger consumers, with 41pc of 18-to-24 year olds and 35pc of 25-to-34 year olds admitting to the practice.
Davis says that using public Wi-Fi for these purposes is a “major risk”.
“Cybercriminals can easily intercept data on unsecured networks, potentially gaining access to personal and financial information,” he explains. “This can lead to fraud, identity theft and financial loss. The safest approach is to avoid conducting sensitive transactions on public networks, or, if necessary, use a VPN and ensure websites are encrypted (look for ‘https’).”
Contradictions
One finding that Davis finds surprising is the contradiction between Irish consumer expectations of data protection from service providers and their own individual practices.
The report found that respondents had low tolerance for data breaches from providers, with 74pc stating that they would be likely to stop using a financial service, such as a bank or insurance provider, if one occurred.
75pc said that the same goes for social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, while more leniency was expressed towards retailers (70pc), email providers (69pc) and gaming services (64pc).
Meanwhile, 18pc of respondents stated that they opt out of using two-factor authentication, a highly effective method for securing online accounts.
“This disconnect suggests that while people expect organisations to safeguard their data, they don’t always take the same precautions themselves,” says Davis. “Cybersecurity is a shared responsibility, and it’s crucial to bridge this gap through better education and more intuitive security solutions.”
On the subject of education, the report seemed to indicate divided opinions on who consumers believe should take the lead in educating the public about cybersecurity.
35pc believed that this is the responsibility of Ireland’s National Cyber Security Centre, while 19pc said the task should fall to schools. Only 12pc felt that employers should play a leading role, and just 7pc believed that universities should be primarily responsible for cybersecurity education – statistics that Davis found interesting.
“This suggests a gap in formal education around cybersecurity, even though digital literacy is more important than ever in the modern workplace,” he says. “Given that older consumers tend to have more to lose in terms of assets and financial exposure, there’s a strong case for businesses, universities and governments to work together to build cybersecurity awareness into everyday learning.”
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