[November 25, 2014]

International Survey Reveals Majority of People Don't Feel Safe When Shopping Online

Global information security company NCC Group today released results of an international survey that shows most consumers do not feel safe when shopping online and many are shying away from their favorite retailers as a result.

According to the 'Trust in the Internet' survey, nearly eight out of 10 people (77%) do not feel very safe when shopping online and, with the holidays just a few weeks away, nearly a quarter reveal they are doing less online due to security concerns (23%).

The poll also found that 64 percent of consumers believe that they are likely to be a victim of a security breach within the next 12 months.

The survey, which questioned 10,000 people in the U.S. and U.K., also found that 59 percent of people are uncomfortable sharing sensitive financial and personal information when they shop and interact with organizations online.

"The convenience of online shopping is a significant pull for many consumers and spending around peak retail periods has increased year-on-year," said Rob Cotton, CEO of NCC Group "However, demand on retailers to address security is reaching a critical point. The recent spate of high profile data breaches has clearly had an impact on online trust, and consumers are now placing responsibility squarely with retailers to tackle this issue. Some 84 percent of consumers believe companies should compensate customers financially for their loss if they experience a breach."

Cotton added: "Businesses now need to step up and make securing their customers' data a top priority. The consequences of not doing so threaten the integrity and performance of businesses and the Internet as a whole."

The festive period in particular gives rise to increased phishing and cyber attacks, and the introduction of more than 1,400 new domains to the Internet -- the biggest change to take place since its creation -- is set to make this problem even worse.

Key statistics:

• Only two-in-10 consumers admit they feel very secure while shopping online (21%); fewer than one-in-10 say they strongly agree that they are comfortable sharing financial details and completin financial transactions online (8%)
• 62 percent of consumers say they are more concerned about online security now than they have ever been
• Only eight percent of consumers say they strongly agree that they are comfortable sharing financial details and completing financial transactions online overall
• One-in-three consumers expect to be the victim of a breach "any minute" (29%), and 64 percent believe they will be the victim of a breach within the next 12 months
• 56 percent of consumers said that in order to complete online transactions, they often must share information that they would normally not feel comfortable sharing online
• 68 percent of consumers say they would be more likely to do business with companies within an online community made up of secure/safe websites, where only verified brands operate

For more details and additional data surrounding the survey, including an infographic with detailed results, please visit: https://www.nccgroup.com/trustintheinternet/.

Editors Notes

Survey Methodology

The NCC Group survey was conducted in collaboration with IDG Research Services to gain new insight into consumers' online behaviors and to understand perceptions around online security. Data collection took place online among U.S. and U.K. consumers 18 years or older during October 2014. A total of 10,000 consumers (5,000 from the U.S. and 5,000 from the U.K.) who regularly use the Internet for transactional activities such as online banking and shopping or managing investments or healthcare services, completed the survey. Participants were fairly equally split by gender (51% female; 49% male) and represent a range of age groups: 36% under the age of 35, 27% between 35 and 49 years old, and 37% age 50 or older.

About NCC Group

NCC Group is a global information assurance firm, passionate about making the Internet a safer place and revolutionizing the way in which organizations think about cyber security.

Through an unrivalled and unique range of services, the company provides organizations across the world with freedom from doubt that their most important assets are protected and operational at all times.

Listed on the London Stock Exchange, NCC Group is a trusted advisor to more than 15,000 clients worldwide. Headquartered in Manchester, U.K., NCC Group has 20 offices across the world and employs over 1,000 specialists in information security, assurance and technology.

NCC Group delivers security consulting, software escrow and verification, website performance, software testing and domain services.

About IDG Research Services

IDG Research Services specializes in marketing and media-related research for technology marketers. As a division of International Data Group (IDG), the world's leading technology media, data, and services company, IDG Research Services brings the resources and experience of a large, global company to its clients in the form of a small, customer-focused business. For more information please visit: http://idgresearch.com/.

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