Seattle is riskiest city for cybercrime, report says
Seattle, home of Microsoft, is the most dangerous city for cybercrime, according to a report from Mountain View, Calif.-based Norton anti-virus software maker Symantec and Portland, Ore.-based research firm Sperling’s BestPlaces. The rankings were determined through a combination of Symantec Security Response’s data on cyberattacks and potential malware infections, as well as third-party data about online behavior, such as accessing WiFi hotspots and online shopping.
Seattle placed near the top in categories such as cyberattacks and potential infections; online behavior that can expose people more to cybercrime, such as online shopping and banking online; and wireless Internet access. Boston and Washington follow in second and third place, with both cities experiencing a very high level of cybercrime. Number four on the list, San Francisco, tops the category for riskiest online behavior and highest number of WiFi hotspots per capita. Rounding out the top 10 are Raleigh, N.C.; Atlanta; Minneapolis; Denver; Austin, Texas; and Portland.
Of the 50 U.S. cities examined, Detroit came in as the least risky online city. The Motor City’s residents were less likely to participate in risky online behavior compared to other cities in the study, and it also ranked low in cybercrime, access to the Internet, expenditures on computer equipment, and wireless Internet access. El Paso, Texas, and Memphis, Tenn., came in second and third, respectively, on the list of least risky online cities.
Cybercrime, a threat that affects one in five online shoppers and cost Americans $560 million in 2009 because of online fraud, may hit closer to home than many realize. “With more people than ever relying on the Internet to stay in touch, shop and pay their bills, feeling confident and secure in our information-driven world is vital,” said Marian Merritt, Norton Internet Safety Advocate.
Read the complete report.