Cybersecurity awareness increasing in the US

The Register reports that Americans are becoming increasingly concerned with cybersecurity. Eighty-eight percent of U.S. consumers reported leveraging strong passwords for their home Wi-Fi networks in 2022, compared with 74% in 2019, while the rate of those who leveraged multi-factor authentication increased from 50% in 2019 to 77% in 2022 as the rate of vendors requiring various security methods for smartphone unlocking rose from 69% to 85% during the same period, a study from Aspen Digital Institute and Consumer Reports revealed. The findings also showed that while 52% of respondents noted being at least somewhat confident regarding the confidentiality of their personal data, including Social Security numbers, 75% expressed being somewhat concerned regarding companies' data collection and storage practices. Most consumers cited the federal government to have the most responsibility in ensuring online privacy protections in 2022, followed by companies. "Surveys consistently demonstrate that people are concerned about their privacy in the face of both governments and corporations. The reason people don't often act on those concerns is that they feel powerless.," wrote Harvard Kennedy School Fellow and lecturer Bruce Schneier in the report.