The average cost of multimedia files that a user might lose from a device as a result of a cyber attack or other damage is estimated at $418, according to this year?s Consumer Security Risks Survey, conducted by B2B International and Kaspersky Lab.
Many of these losses could be prevented, but after users purchase digital content they often fail to take appropriate steps to ensure that content is Users can lose files in a number of different ways: losing a device, having a device stolen, or falling victim to malicious users. Cyber criminals understand that users value their files, which is why they are constantly developing new malware that can encrypt data on a hard drive and then demand a ransom to have those files restored and returned.
According to the B2B International survey, over the past year 27% of respondents encountered a cyber attack. At the same time, over 60% of users who were victims of malware that either damaged
or destroyed data admitted that they had not been able to fully restore their files. During the same period, approximately 14% of users dealt with the loss, theft or crash of their device.
Studies have shown that potential losses resulting from the loss of multimedia content (in other words, the monetary value of the files that cannot be restored) is higher among younger respondents, who actively download music and movies. For example, respondents in the 16-24 age group would face an average loss of $670, while those in the 25-34 group would incur an average loss of $455; users aged 45 and older would lose an average of $227.
