ESET®, a global pioneer in proactive protection for more than two decades, yesterday released the ESET Vietnam Cyber-Savviness Report 2015 showing that users in Vietnam have low cybersecurity awareness and do not take adequate preventive measures, which could make them vulnerable to cyber threats.

The findings show that while 87 per cent of users in the country worry about online threats, only 32 per cent take the right steps to protect themselves – the lowest in the Asia-Pacific region. 

The survey polled 500 respondents in Vietnam to gain insights into attitudes, knowledge and user behavior there when it comes to cybersecurity. The findings were released at the 18th Association of Anti-Virus Researchers International Conference 2015 in Danang City in Vietnam’s central region.

When compared with the results of the ESET Asia Cyber-Savviness Report 2015, which covered six other Asia-Pacific markets, Vietnam came last in terms of cyber-savviness behind Malaysia, Singapore, India, Thailand, Hong Kong and Indonesia, in that order. 

Cyber-savviness is based on factors such as users’ knowledge or ability to understand activities that are likely to make them vulnerable online, risky behaviors while surfing the web, and the proactive steps they can take to protect themselves online. 

“As Internet use surges in Vietnam, the country relies more and more on data, electronic communications and information technology to drive innovation and efficiency, resulting in increased exposure to cybersecurity risks,” said Parvinder Walia, Sales and Marketing director, ESET Asia-Pacific. 

“The ESET Vietnam Cyber-Savviness Report 2015 highlights that although Internet users in Vietnam know certain actions can put them at risk or make them more vulnerable when online, it is not enough to stop them from making these mistakes. If users don’t take it upon themselves to ensure that they’re adequately protected, they might unwittingly become the victim of a cyber-attack,” Walia added.

Key survey results show that a majority of Vietnamese Internet users have misconceptions about common cybersecurity issues with people being unable to correctly answer questions such as the dangers of using free public Wi-Fi (59 per cent think it’s safe) and creating passwords using personal details (70 per cent think it’s safe). 

Sixty-two per cent of users also believe in the myth that a PC is more likely to be hacked than a mobile device, further highlighting a lack of awareness. 

Users in Vietnam worry most about the safety of sensitive information on their personal devices and protecting their devices from viruses. 

Worryingly, only approximately 30 per cent of users surveyed recognised the serious risks posed by common threats such as unsecured applications, spam emails and banner advertisements, highlighting another serious knowledge gap that could be making them vulnerable to attack.