New Survey by Norton Reveals 44 Percent of People Have Been Victimized by Cybercrime on a Social Network

New Survey by Norton Reveals 44 Percent of People Have Been Victimized by Cybercrime on a Social Network

Free Norton Safe Web for Facebook Application Fights Social Networking Threats by Scanning News Feeds for Malicious Links

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., May 6 --
               To help consumers fight back and protect their online
               identities, Norton from Symantec has launched the Norton
               Safe Web for Facebook application, a free tool that uses
               site rating technology to scan computer users' Facebook news
  WHAT:        feeds for malicious web links.

               As social networks continue to grow, cybercriminals are
               finding them lucrative places to find victims.  A new survey
               by Norton* revealed that 44% of people have been a victim of
               a cybercrime perpetrated via a social network -viruses,
               online credit fraud, unsolicited pornography, receiving
               excessive spam and 'phishing' e-mails (bogus messages sent
               by fraudsters posing as banks and other retail companies).
  WHY:         Additionally, the survey unveiled:

               --72% of people have been victim of a cybercrime, ranging
               from viruses, online credit fraud, unsolicited pornography,
               phishing, to receiving excessive spam
              -- 76% of people worry about identity theft
               --Compared with women, men take more risks online and are
               more often victims of cybercrime

               As cybercriminals focus on social networks, consumers need to
               follow best practices and use available tools to protect
               themselves from online dangers.  In addition to using Norton
               Safe Web for Facebook, computer users can look up a site's
               safety rating at the free Norton Safe Web community site, or
               download Norton Safe Web Lite, a new free toolbar that
               automatically flags fraudulent or harmful sites as users
               surf the Web.

               Marian Merritt, Norton's Internet Safety Advocate, will be on
               hand to walk through the features of the new Norton Safe Web
               for Facebook application and talk about emerging security
               threats that computer users should look out for.  Marian
               will also provide smart, simple tips that consumers can use
  WHO:         to stay safe on social networks.

  WHEN:       Interviews available upon request

  CONTACT:    Karina Carretero
              323-202-1899
              Karina.Carretero@edelman.com

  * Survey and methodology available upon request

Source: Norton
   

CONTACT:  Karina Carretero, +1-323-202-1899,
Karina.Carretero@edelman.com, for Norton

Web Site:  http://www.norton.com/