Avira Security Web Survey Finds 40% Confident That No Damaging Information About Them Exists, While 36% Have No Clue

Tettnang/München, Germany, July 5, 2011 – A recent survey of its customers conducted by Avira and Ruflotse found that an almost equal number of respondents claim no negative information exists about them on the Internet while the other half has no idea if damaging info exists and doesn’t keep tabs on their online reputation.

A survey question was presented to Avira’s 100 million customers worldwide during May, 2011: Be honest; is there any unpleasant or potentially damaging information about you on the Internet?

• 36% – No idea, I've never monitored whether anything bad about me exists.
• 15% – Yes, unfortunately. If I knew how to do it, I would delete the information right away.
• 6% – Yes, but I don't really care. It doesn't bother me.
• 4% – Not any longer - I erased all the information.
• 40% – No, there is no negative information about me on the Internet.

1,555 respondents with a margin of error of +/- 2.49 percent.

“This survey highlighted the two main groups of Internet users: those that care about their online reputation and those that don’t bother to keep track,” said Travis Witteveen, COO Market & Operations from Avira. “It’s critical to know what information exists about you online because if it’s negative it can damage your reputation and not knowing isn’t much of an excuse in this generation of instant information.”

Avira and Ruflotse offer these tips to stay safe online:

1. Personal Information: Less is best! – Do not make all information about you available online or on any social media site such as address, city, telephone, friends, preferences, relatives, etc. - If this information is freely available, someone with a little luck could theoretically impersonate you even on most secure websites since the questions asked to retrieve a password are usually related to this type of information.
    
2. Passwords
   • Don't use the same password on all the social networking websites.
   • Do not use the same password for your email address and a website or instant messenger solution.
   • Never keep emails containing passwords in your email account folders since if your email account is compromised, then those other accounts will be easy pickings.
      
3. Monitor your account: With monitoring services like Ruflotse Protect Plus, users can monitor their own names as well as their children's names and are routinely updated on new entries on the Internet.

Sobre a Avira

Avira é uma fornecedora global de software antivírus e soluções de segurança para consumidores domésticos e empresas, com 25 anos de experiência e mais de 100 milhões de clientes. O carro-chefe da companhia, o Avira AntiVir, é conhecido por sua extrema confiabilidade e sequência quase perfeita de prêmios VB100. Além de membro fundador da Associação "IT Security made in Germany" (ITSMIG), a Avira é sua única fornecedora de software antivírus, garantindo que terceiros ou quaisquer governos jamais possam acessar ou espionar os dados de seus clientes.

Além de proteger o mundo virtual, o fundador e CEO da Avira promove o bem estar no mundo real através da Fundação Auerbach, que apoia projetos sociais e filantrópicos relacionados às artes, cultura e ciências. Para obter mais informações, participe das discussões sobre segurança em www.facebook.com/avira e www.twitter.com/avira.