MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Norton by Symantec (NASDAQ:SYMC) today introduced Norton WiFi Privacy, a powerful, yet easy-to-use mobile app that helps shield consumers’ information from hackers snooping on unsecured wireless (Wi-Fi) networks.
“We know many consumers believe that using a password to access public Wi-Fi means their information is safe, but that’s not necessarily the case,” said Fran Rosch, executive vice president, Norton Business Unit, Symantec. “Norton WiFi Privacy helps protect information, such as passwords and credit card numbers, and denies access to hackers who may be eavesdropping on the same network.”
What’s At Stake?
The newly released Norton Wi-Fi Risk Report reveals that the online habits of consumers, particularly Millennials and parents, gives hackers unimpeded access to sensitive data like banking information or social media passwords.
What turns people into easy targets is confusion about the security of public Wi-Fi networks. Norton found that only 42 percent of consumers are able to distinguish between a secure and an unsecure Wi-Fi network. Most people assume that all Wi-Fi networks available in public places like airports, hotels and cafes have security built-in. That’s not the case. When consumers log onto an unsecure network, hackers are able to steal information as it travels across the web, sell it on the dark web for profit or even use the information to drain consumer bank accounts.
Even popular apps found on Android devices lack security – in the U.S. alone, 22 percent of Android apps transmit sensitive information without encryption to keep it protected. To combat this, Norton WiFi Privacy uses sophisticated encryption technology and scrambles consumer information to help protect their information and identity online.
Consumers Unaware of the Risk
- More than one in two US consumers (61 percent) believe their personal information is safe when using public Wi-Fi;
- More than half of U.S. consumers have logged into personal and social media accounts while using unsecure Wi-Fi networks, potentially compromising the credentials to their personal and professional emails;
- One in five U.S. consumers have accessed financial/banking information over public Wi-Fi;
- Younger generations are more likely to think public Wi-Fi is safe: 68 percent Millennials and 62 percent Gen X, vs. 55 percent for 55+. Surprisingly, parents (66 percent) are more likely to think public Wi-Fi is safe than non-parents (59 percent).
Once aware of the risk, the survey found that consumers’ top concerns include:
- Unauthorized access to financial information (85 percent) and personal photos/videos (72 percent), getting infected with malware (84 percent) and having user information stolen (85 percent) while using public Wi-Fi;
- Eighty percent of consumers would dread a criminal selling the login/passwords to sensitive accounts more than an intimate photo leak;
- Sixty-three percent of consumers would dread having their social media accounts hacked when using coffee shop Wi-Fi more than not having internet access at all;
- Eighty-seven percent of consumers would dread their information being stolen after paying a bill online more than voting for a presidential candidate they hate.
Availability
The Norton WiFi Privacy app is available on Android and iOS platforms for purchase in the iTunes and Google Play app stores. A yearly subscription service is $29.99, which includes protection for one mobile device and 24/7 in-app support. PC, Mac and multi-device availability coming soon. For more information on our consumer protection solutions, please visit: www.norton.com.
Norton Wi-Fi Risk Report Methodology
The Norton Wi-Fi Risk Report is an online survey of 9,135 adults ages 18+ who use Wi-Fi across nine markets, commissioned by Norton by Symantec and produced by research firm Edelman Intelligence. The margin of error for the total sample is +/- 1.03%. The U.S. sample reflects input from 1,025 U.S. adults ages 18+ who use Wi-Fi. The margin of error is +/- 3% for the total U.S. sample. Data was collected May 17-31, 2016 by Edelman Intelligence.
About Symantec
Symantec Corporation (NASDAQ:SYMC) is the global leader in cybersecurity. Operating one of the world’s largest cyber intelligence networks, we see more threats, and protect more customers from the next generation of attacks. We help companies, governments and individuals secure their most important data wherever it lives.
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1 Source: Norton Wi-Fi Risk Report, 2016
