Saudi internet users prioritize cybersecurity: Cisco survey

According to Cisco’s latest Broadband Survey, internet users in Saudi Arabia are displaying a strong awareness of cyber risks, with an impressive 97% of respondents actively taking measures to protect their home connections. The survey, which gathered insights from over 21,000 individuals across 12 countries, including 2,000 respondents from Saudi Arabia, aimed to understand how consumers utilize their broadband connectivity.

The findings revealed that 91% of the total respondents in Saudi Arabia consider broadband as critical national infrastructure. Additionally, 68% of participants rely on their home internet for work-from-home arrangements or to run their businesses.

With the rise of hybrid work models blurring the lines between personal and professional lives, home environments have become susceptible to new risks. Despite using their broadband for sensitive tasks such as banking and work, the majority of Saudi Arabian consumers (52%) primarily safeguard their home networks and devices using passwords. Only 28% have activated their router’s firewall.

Salman Faqeeh, the Managing Director of Cisco Saudi Arabia, highlighted the significance of the survey’s results. He emphasized that Saudi Arabian consumers are increasingly prioritizing cybersecurity while using their broadband services. A previous study had shown that 73% of consumers in the region were concerned about cybercriminals hacking their devices.

Faqeeh stressed the importance of implementing sophisticated security measures, like multi-factor authentication (MFA), in the face of evolving and complex cyber-attacks.

While speed remains a top consideration for those planning to upgrade their broadband in the coming year (selected by 40% of respondents), security is now a close second, ranked by 38% of consumers as a key factor when choosing their broadband package.

The survey also indicated that consumers in Saudi Arabia have confidence in cloud-based services, with 76% of internet users believing that using the cloud is secure. Only a small minority (6%) expressed doubts about the security of cloud services.

In a related development, Cisco recently announced its plans to establish a data center for cloud-delivered security in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This initiative aims to assist customers in safeguarding their users, infrastructure, and investments against potential threat actors. By providing flexible security services and data protection for devices, remote users, and distributed locations, Cisco aims to empower organizations in the region.

Overall, the survey results reflect a positive trend, showing that Saudi Arabian consumers are proactively taking cybersecurity seriously and prioritizing it in their digital endeavors.