Norton report warns of cyber crime epidemic

65 per cent of web users have been a victim of cyber crime, report finds

Norton's report shows that cyber crime is common across the globe

A new report from software security firm Norton has revealed that 65 per cent of respondents have been a victim of cyber crime.

The report, Norton Cybercrime Report: The Human Impact, defines cyber crime as including viruses, identity theft, online hacking, online harassment, online scams, phishing and sexual predation, and questioned 7,000 adults in 14 countries, including the UK.

The worst-affected country was said to be China. Associate professor of psychology at Loyola Marymount University Joseph LaBrie, PhD, described victims as suffering from "learned helplessness".

"It’s like getting ripped off at a garage – if you don’t know enough about cars, you won't argue with the mechanic. People just accept a situation, even if it feels bad," he said.

The research also suggests that while cyber crime is widespread and affects many people, very few report it to law enforcement agencies.

Symantec’s lead cyber security adviser Adam Palmer said: "Many criminals reside in a foreign country so it’s no surprise that people regard them as 'faceless'. And, because international cyber crime is hard to uncover and prosecute, people genuinely aren’t seeing justice being done."

This anonymity also serves to make criminals of people not usually disposed towards illegality, according to Norton's research. Nearly half of respondents felt it "legal" to download a single music track, album or movie without paying (17 per cent, 14 per cent, and 15 per cent respectively.)

Palmer said that users should be able to enjoy the internet without fear of victimisation.

"Empowerment will occur by raising awareness of the issues related to cyber crime and educating people on best practices and the right products and technologies to use when fighting it," he said.