• by Gavin O'Malley  @mp_gavin, May 13, 2005

Could anyone imagine a breach of security more galling than having their car broken into? Most broadband users, apparently, according to an Internet safety and security poll from SBC and Yahoo! released Thursday--which found that 70 percent of more than 12,000 U.S. respondents would rather have their Volvos violated than have their computers hacked or infected.

The study highlights a consumer trend of greater awareness of Internet security threats, combined with a continued concern over knowing how to actually prevent security breaches online. Not surprisingly, results showed that 75 percent of respondents said it is extremely important to protect their computer from potential online threats.

Even with the increasing awareness, less than half of respondents had a high degree of confidence in their ability to protect their computers from major safety and security threats. Less than half--46 percent--of the respondents felt very or extremely confident that they could keep their computer systems protected. More than 60 percent of respondents said they would use the Internet more if they felt safe from various online threats including identity theft, hacking, spyware, pop-ups, and spam.

The survey also found notable differences between the way men and women approach Internet security. The study showed that while women are more concerned with their online safety, men are more apt to try to fix a perceived threat themselves before consulting an expert. Seventy-nine percent of female respondents felt that protecting their computers from online threats was extremely important, compared to 68 percent of male respondents. Fifty-nine percent of men said they would clean a virus from their computer themselves, while only 35 percent of women said they would attempt it. Sixty percent of users surveyed said they would prefer to receive all of their online security solutions from one source.