WOBURN, Mass.,March 22, 2023/PRNewswire/ — Kasperskyhas released new survey results showing that one third ofcryptoowners in the U.S. have experienced theft of their currency or other assets, at an average cost of$97,583. This, and other findings, are part of a new report, “CryptoThreats 2023,” based on a survey of 2,000 American adults inOctober 2022.
Cryptotrading has skyrocketed in popularity in recent years. Twenty-four percent of respondents to the survey said they currently owncryptocurrencyor othercryptoassets. However, scammers are continuously seeking new ways to capitalize on that popularity and defraud users, with tactics such as impersonating legitimate exchanges or launching phishing attacks to steal login credentials. They also use cryptojacking malware to generate currency by stealing computing resources from unknowing victims.
A third of respondents who said they own or have ownedcryptocurrencyor othercryptoassets said they have fallen victim to a fraudulentcrypto-related website, app or investment scam at some point. Among those victims, 19% said they experienced identity theft as a result, while 27% had payment details stolen and money taken from their bank account.
“From fake apps to cryptojacking, there is a long list of threats lurking online to target cryptocurrencies,” saidMarc Rivero, senior security researcher at Kaspersky’s Global Research and Analysis Team. “Without any regulation or established common knowledge, people need to take care to protect themselves. This survey data shows a lot of people are getting theircryptostolen and even experiencing identity theft. Users should keep a close eye out for scams, and should employ any extra security measures that are available to them, such as multi-factor authentication.”
The survey revealed that there is often more users could be doing to protect theircryptoassets. On average, respondents said the last time they checked on theircryptoinvestments was six weeks ago. Twenty-seven percent of users said they keep theircryptostored in an exchange account with no added protection, while only 34% use multi-factor authentication to protect their account. Only 15% of users said they use a “cold wallet,” storing theircryptoin external storage not connected to the internet. Thirty-two percent of respondents who own or have ownedcryptocurrencyor othercryptoassets said they have lost access to acrypto-related account at some point.
The survey also yielded some interested findings with respect to age differences amongcryptotraders. Thirty-six percent of respondents aged 25-44 said they currently owncryptocurrencyorcryptoassets, compared to just 10% of respondents aged 55 and up. Older respondents who do owncrypto, however, appeared to be doing a much better job at protecting their assets. Just 8% ofcryptoowners aged 55+ said they have hadcryptocurrencyor acryptoasset stolen, and only 14% in that age group said they have fallen victim to a fraudulentcrypto-related app, website or investment scam. Meanwhile, nearly half (47%) ofcryptoowners aged 18-24 said they had been victimized by theft, with 46% saying they’ve fallen victim to a scam.
The full report isavailable here.
In order to avoid falling victim tocryptocurrency-related scams, Kaspersky recommends:
Use strong and unique passwords for each of yourcryptoaccounts. This will help prevent password cracking and brute force attacks.Avoid phishing attacks: Be wary of suspicious emails and links, and always double-check the URL before entering your login information.Don’t share your private keys: your private keys unlock yourcryptocurrencywallet. Keep them private and never share them with anyone.Use security solutions: a reliable security solution will protect your devices from various types of threats.Kaspersky’s consumer portfoliopreventscryptocurrencyfraud, as well as unauthorized use of your computer’s processing power to minecryptocurrency.
About Kaspersky
Kaspersky is a global cybersecurity and digital privacy company founded in 1997. Kaspersky’s deep threat intelligence and security expertise is constantly transforming into innovative security solutions and services to protect businesses, critical infrastructure, governments, and consumers around the globe. The company’s comprehensive security portfolio includes leading endpoint protection and a number of specialized security solutions and services to fight sophisticated and evolving digital threats. Over 400 million users are protected by Kaspersky technologies, and we help 240,000 corporate clients protect what matters most to them. Learn more atusa.kaspersky.com.
SOURCE Kaspersky
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