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Posted on October 3rd, 2012 in Current News, Cybercrime by Simply Security | Be the first to comment | Tags: Current News, cybercrime

Baby boomers should look to learn all they can about online security.

Times are changing in the online security world, and it may be time for the baby boomer generation to freshen up on what that means for them. A recent security survey, which was released in accordance with National Cybersecurity Awareness month, shows that while the boomer generation is willing to use technology, many don't fall in line with common security procedures.

Almost 60 percent don't use a mobile device password and only 39 percent run a virus scan more than once per month. Data security is paramount when shopping and surfing the Internet, so these boomers may want to educate themselves as soon as possible.

"Some of the better attackers know exactly who they are dealing with and will view baby boomers as being deficient in online safety skills," said the CEO of the security company which performed this survey by AVG. "The opportunity to take advantage of them is on the rise; therefore, it's important for baby boomers to familiarize themselves with how to minimize the risk of theft or fraud."

Further highlighting the lack of security awareness is how these boomers look to shop online, as nearly two-thirds check online banking statements no more than once a week and less than half restrict themselves to just one, low-limit credit card for online purchases. Regarding mobile security, the survey said 45 percent would have to manually re-enter contact data if their phone was lost or stolen and 20 percent have consciously shared their passwords with another person.

The survey gave a few tips for baby boomers looking to improve their Internet security stances:

- Only use one card with a low spending limit for online purchases and regularly monitor this account
- Change passwords on important accounts frequently
- Be aware of scam emails and messages
- Always back up data to mitigate the damage of a lost or stolen device

The Department of Homeland Security also advice for those with more cyberspace experience. This includes to always who or what the source is before giving personal information to it, keep a heavy dose of skepticism toward emails and unsolicited text messages, always look to make sure websites have proper data security credentials, such as URLs that begin with HTTPS and pages displaying VeriSign seals, prior to initiating any financial transactions.

Security News from SimplySecurity.com by Trend Micro.