Majority of Britons think we should be worried about hacking

THE VAST MAJORITY of Brits say we should be worried about the issue of online hacking, according to the results of a survey by PC Tools and a report by a University of Hull professor.

Over 2,000 people were asked about their views on hacking, with 97 per cent of them showing great concern over what is becoming an increasingly common phenomenon.

2011 has proven to be a major year for hackers with many attacks on high profile targets, including gaming companies, financial institutions and law enforcement agencies.

A number of these attacks were carried out by hacktivist groups Anonymous and Lulzsec, but despite their claims that their objectives are honourable, 40 per cent of Britons believe that hacking is never justified. Less than five per cent of those asked consider the hackers to be revolutionary or heroic.

The survey also found that one in five Britons have lost trust in large organisations as a result of hacking incidents, while one in six are disappointed with how the police have handled the threat.

Despite an overwhelming majority of Britons recognising the growing threat of hacking, they are much more divided on how to tackle the problem. 40 per cent believe that tougher penalties, including longer prison sentences, are the answer, while 39 per cent believe that the solution lies in businesses investing in better security.

Speaking about how tough prison sentences do not seem to be acting as a deterrent to hackers, Professor Majid Yar, author of the report based on PC Tools' findings said, "The tougher penalty approach has its flaws. In reality, very few members of the public actually know what the penalties are for those convicted - which in the UK is up to 5 years in prison - or how few hacking incidents actually ever lead to arrest and conviction, since it is so difficult to identify those responsible. The most viable way to protect computer users from hacking are: better security, technological counter-measures and user precautions." µ