The make-up of the modern home is changing, bringing with it a new era of “household 2.0” which, on average, cares for 2.4 people[i], 0.3 pets[ii] and now also 6.3[iii] connected devices per home. With devices playing such a prominent role in today’s average household, Kaspersky Lab has launched updated versions of Kaspersky Internet Security and Kaspersky Total Security to help people care for their devices as much as they care for their pets and those living under their roofs.
There are now more devices than people and pets in every home, and these devices are playing an ever more important role in home life, with people using them for everything from surfing the Internet to shopping and sharing videos of cats purring. Yet this increased connectivity brings with it safety concerns, made worse by the fact that according to the Kaspersky Cybersecurity Index, two-fifths (39 per cent) of people are still leaving their devices unprotected from cyberthreats such as hacking, malware, financial fraud and more.
The latest versions of Kaspersky Internet Security and Kaspersky Total Security are designed to protect the modern household, helping people care for their connected devices and every aspect of their digital lives in the way they already protect family members and pets.
If “household 2.0” is awake, it’s online
With 6.3 devices, the average household today spends a huge part of its waking hours online — and the more people surf the web, the greater their risk of falling victim to a malicious program or website. In its annual research, Kaspersky Lab has found that 63 per cent of Internet users are worried about phishing emails and websites. To address this concern, Kaspersky Internet Security and Kaspersky Total Security include anti-phishing technology to prevent users from falling victim to fake or spam emails, fake websites and fraud. In addition, the updated URL Advisor tells a user whether a link in the search engine leads to a trusted, suspicious, dangerous or phishing website, or a website that may cause their computer harm, via a special indicator close to each link.
The home is where the precious data is
Alongside fears about fake websites, connected households also worry about losing the information stored on their average 6.3 devices, with photos being the most precious forms of data. In fact, Kaspersky Lab research has found that, for many, the loss of their digital photos is more stressful than a breakup with a partner or a pet’s illness.
Because their data is so precious to them, over half (56 per cent) of Internet users are concerned about the prospect of having their data held at ransom — concerns that are expected to rise following the recent WannaCry epidemic. To help give people living in “household 2.0” homes peace of mind, Kaspersky Internet Security and Kaspersky Total Security include the company’s anti-ransomware feature, which has been updated to fight even the most sophisticated ransomware.
Every family wants to keep their secrets to themselves, but in today’s “household 2.0” era, people’s privacy is often jeopardised online. As a result, people tend to have major concerns about their data falling into the hands of others, with some of the data stored on personal devices being so sensitive that 44 per cent of users wouldn’t want anyone else to see it. To ensure users’ data stays firmly in their own hands, the new App Lock feature for Android offers an extra layer of protection with a secret code for users to prevent specific apps like instant messaging services, social media, email, or other confidential information from being seen by others when they are accessing a user’s phone. Users can also benefit from the Kaspersky Secure Connection service, integrated with Kaspersky Internet Security and Kaspersky Total Security, which encrypts all user traffic when using insecure Wi-Fi or sensitive websites.
Connected children at the heart of the home
While there are clear concerns about data security and user’s privacy, “household 2.0” also brings with it worries about vulnerable family members who are increasingly connected to the Internet. 60 per cent of people, for example, are concerned that their children may have uncontrolled access to inappropriate content online. Developers at Kaspersky Lab have thus included the company’s renowned parental controls in the latest version of Kaspersky Total Security. These controls allow parents to specify time limits for specific devices in the household, restrict the applications children can use and prevent access to pages with adult content, obscene language or information about drugs, and more, all within the Kaspersky Safe Kids service.
Elena Kharchenko, Head of Consumer Product Management at Kaspersky Lab says, “Our devices are affecting the way we and our families live our lives. They give us the power to connect, learn, communicate and complete essential transactions wherever we are. They enable our lives, and it’s therefore no surprise that in the new era of “household 2.0” there are more devices than people and pets per home.
“But as we know from our research, our constant connectivity brings with it natural concerns for online safety – from fears about falling victim to scams to worries about what our children are seeing online. These are concerns that we have addressed with the latest versions of Kaspersky Internet Security and Kaspersky Total Security. These security solutions offer people a smarter way to care for their family’s digital world without interfering with their online experience.”
For more information about Kaspersky Internet Security and Kaspersky Total Security please see https://www.kaspersky.co.uk/home-security
[i] Based on European figures from Eurostat
[ii] Based on European data from FEDIAF (62 million pet keeping households in Europe) and Eurostat (214 million households in Europe, 2013 census).
[iii] Kaspersky Cybersecurity Index
