Accenture survey: concern about cybercrime limiting Canadians’ use of online services

Accenture’s 2017 Canada Cybercrime Survey also found high-levels of concerns among Canadians about cybercrime (80 per cent), with two-thirds (64 per cent) saying they have been the target of a cybercrime attempt over the last three years. Additionally, 19 per cent of respondents said they had previously been a victim of cybercrime.

The study found that few Canadians know how to respond when their cybersecurity is compromised — only 38 per cent of respondents are aware of how to report a cybercrime to authorities, while 44 per cent are aware of how to protect themselves from cyber threats.

Furthermore, Canadians may be under-reporting and under-estimating their victimization by cybercrime.  Only 11 per cent of respondents had reported a cybercrime incident in the past three years, and just one-third (36 per cent) expressed confidence in the ability of police to respond effectively to cybercrime related complaints.

“Canadians are concerned about their general lack of knowledge when it comes to preventing and reporting cybercrime,” said Arnold van den Hoeven, public safety lead in Accenture Canada’s Health and Public Service practice. “The majority (78 per cent) of survey respondents want government and public safety agencies to do more to inform them about how to prevent cybercrime and to stay safe online, with one-fifth (20 per cent) of respondents specifically citing the need for increased education of citizens about their personal and data security when online.”

When it comes to engaging with police services to report cybercrimes, 45 per cent of survey respondents said they are comfortable engaging police via online and digital channels, and 51 per cent believe that new digital technologies can help police deliver more effective services. More than half (59 per cent) of respondents also believe that police services should use digital technologies to help build greater trust with the citizens and communities they serve.