Online crimes, with a focus on identity theft, are some of the fastest growing crimes in the world and affect millions of people every single year. With international security companies racing to keep ahead of the criminals, those that use the internet may want to take a look at these five interesting facts about the advanced technology that is used to keep private and commercial data as safe as possible.5 Interesting Facts About The Technology That Keeps Your Information Safe Online

1. Spam-Blockers Must Tackle Nearly 90 Percent of All Emails

Much of the information that is under threat on the internet comes down to emails. Countless individuals check their email every single day and much of this data involves vital personal information such as financial numbers or even medical records. With some estimates stating that upwards of 90 percent of all email throughout the world is spam, this has become a large problem for spam-blocking programs. Luckily, users can now utilize multiple layers of spam protection including default protection from their email provider and a robust security program on their computer.

2. Online Threats are Going Mobile

There are currently over 1 billion people from around the world using smartphones daily, and this means that cyber-criminals are now looking at these devices to carry out illegal acts. Due to the increase in mobile threats, many of the top smartphone providers are now taking action to defend their customers with advanced security. This includes the ability to constantly patch and update both the operating system and the apps on the smartphone at highly frequent intervals via wireless networks.

3. Creating Better Passwords

The moment that a cyber-criminal has a password, it is almost guaranteed that they will soon have access to all personal information in that program. To combat this, many of the leading financial and medical institutions now require lower-risk passwords. This means the inability for users to use common series of letters and numbers or even any part of their name for their password. Studies conducted at the end of 2012 show that the stop passwords were password, 12345, and 123456.

4. The Most Targeted Nations

The four nations in which the highest percentages of internet users are targeted for cyber-crimes include China, Brazil, India, and the United States. As a counterpoint, both China and the United States are home to some of the most advanced security firms that work relentlessly to protect both private and commercial users. While upwards of 90 percent of all major corporations have been breached at least once, the chance for multiple breaches has been lowered dramatically.

5. Combating Security Risks with Cloud Computing

One of the top options to improve security in recent years is the use of cloud computing. This does seem counter-intuitive as information must pass through the internet to reach the user, but localized servers have some of the highest risks for breaching. These companies have access to a number of security protocols and will often provide a guarantee about the safety of the information that they house.

Conclusion

While security threats on the internet may continue to grow, so does the advanced technology that is used to protect corporations and private users alike. Those that take the time to understand these security tools have the best chance at avoiding the loss of their vital data.

Further Reading:

http://www.computerescape.com/blog-0/bid/241590/6-Great-Facts-About-Cybercrime
http://gizmodo.com/5954372/the-25-most-popular-passwords-of-2012
http://www.infographicsonly.com/interesting-facts-about-smartphone-and-online-security/

Author Bio: Lee Reams II is the CEO of ClientWhys, a company specializing in creating high quality websites for Accountants & Tax Professionals. Lee is passionate about marketing, web development, and internet security and loves to share his experience with others!