Have you ever received a letter or email informing you that your personal information was stolen by hackers? It can be extremely concerning, but you're not alone.
A new survey of more than 1,000 U.S. consumers, released on Wednesday by RSA in conjunction with the Ponemon Institute, found that nearly half of respondents had fallen victim to at least one data breach. Moreover, 45 percent said they are not confident that they are aware of all the times their personal information was leaked.
Many of the respondents said they are more concerned about security due to the prevalence of data breaches. But despite growing worries, many have not taken steps to better safeguard their information.
Forty-five percent say that even with all of the retail data breaches of late (Target, Home Depot) they have not changed their behavior when using credit cards. Some 69 percent admitted to using the same password for more than one device or website, and 31 percent have just one or two passwords that they use across all their online accounts. Just 54 percent said they regularly change their passwords.
"As the capabilities and convenience of the Internet continue to grow, so does consumer security concerns," Brian Fitzgerald, vice president of marketing at RSA, said in a statement. But "while these concerns are top of mind, behaviors and attitudes of consumers are not changing."
He suggested that the security industry needs to do more to protect users.
"It is incumbent upon the industry, to deliver on promises of strong and convenient security methods to help customers take advantage of the Internet while significantly limiting the risk of threats — both simple and sophisticated," Fitzgerald added.
For more, check out 7 Tips for Safe Online Banking.