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Broadband Internet users face high risk of security failures

Besides speed, the most coveted feature of a broadband connection is that it is always on. But according to a study being released yesterday, those two advantages are exposing customers to far greater risk than most realize.

The study, conducted by the National Cyber Security Alliance, highlights the chasm between the assumptions of consumers make about the security of their Internet connection and the reality. The result is a high risk of hacking, viruses and identity theft, said Keith Nahigian, the spokesman for the alliance and a consultant to the Office for Homeland Security.

The study of 120 broadband users, conducted last month, showed, for example, that although nearly half of broadband users have young children who use a computer, only 3 percent have parental controls to shield their children from pornography.

More than 40 percent of the users lack a firewall to protect their computers from intrusion, though 77 percent said they consider their systems protected from hackers, and 86 percent said their systems are protected from online threats.

Despite the lack of controls, 86 percent of broadband users keep sensitive information on their PCs, including medical information and financial data. Nearly four-fifths of those polled use the Internet to conduct financial or medical transactions.

"The disconnect means we have to do more to educate people," Nahigian said.

The survey also showed that while most users say they used antivirus software, most do not regularly update the programs, leaving the users exposed to hundreds of new viruses every month.

Dial-up Internet users are exposed to similar risks but to a far lesser extent, if only because they are connected for shorter periods of time.

"When you have your connection open all day and all night, it's easier for hackers to get in," Nahigian said. Because of the fast connection, broadband users tend to do far more file-sharing than dial-up users, further exposing them to hacking and viruses.
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