Do you lie awake at night, scared of being targeted by a cyber attack? Maybe not. Maybe you believe that you’re impervious to hacks, either because you’re pretty confident you know how the internet works, or because you can’t see why anyone would target you. Feelings about cybersecurity aside, how much do you actually know about cybersecurity?
How much do people know about cybersecurity?
You probably know that anyone can be a victim of a cyber attack, and that people aren’t taking cybersecurity as seriously as they should, right? However, it’s the technical details where things start to get a little fuzzy.
It turns out that most people don’t actually have a good technical understanding of how to stay safe and secure online. According to Pew Research Center, a majority of internet users can’t pass a quiz about cybersecurity.
Go ahead and take the quiz. Don’t worry about your score (unless you ace it). The quiz just gives you a better sense of the types of questions that were asked. You might find that the questions are so technical that most people shouldn’t know the answers. Or you might find it unsettling that a majority of internet users couldn’t answer half of the questions about security correctly.
Cybersecurity is growing in importance
Should it be alarming? Maybe, maybe not. The average internet user probably didn’t need to know technical cybersecurity information in the past, but they do now. And factory owners gearing up for Industry 4.0 certainly do.
We’re living in an age where we are connected at all times. We conduct business, divulge personal information, and manage our private accounts via internet. If you have ever entered sensitive information online – whether it’s an online banking app, a credit card application, or private information about your business – you should probably know how to keep that information safe and secure. With the internet connecting more things everyday, cybersecurity becomes increasingly important.
The more connected you are, the more vulnerable you become. Believe it or not, the Industrial Internet of Things will make your factory and your business more vulnerable. IBM reported that manufacturing is the second most hacked industry after healthcare. This information might come as a surprise, but it probably doesn’t have you debating whether or not to sell your factory. A recent survey found that most manufacturers are aware of security risks with the Internet of Things, but they believe the benefits of IoT ultimately outweigh those risks.
The internet can be a little scary at times, but that’s why diligence with cybersecurity is so important. Keep security in mind as we enter the phase of industry.