Despite news of breaches and leaks on what feels like a weekly basis, the US scored admirably in the most recent National Privacy Test conducted by NordVPN.
The importance of cybersecurity awareness has never been more apparent in the modern era. Email scams and skilled hackers are threatening to steal your data no matter where you are online, and they’re getting more effective by the day.
Subsequently, a bit of awareness can go a long way in shoring up your security, and some countries are better about it than others.
US Scores 64% on National Privacy Test
There’s no denying that cybersecurity has become a pressing issue, and luckily the US is at least moderately keeping up with the times, having scored 64% on the National Privacy Test from NordVPN. Here are the scores from countries with more than 100 respondents.
- United States (5,350 respondents) – 64%
- Germany (848 respondents) – 64%
- Afghanistan (105 respondents) 64%
- United Kingdom (2,084 respondents) – 63%
- Netherlands (744 respondents) – 63%
- Australia (1,088 respondents) – 62%
- Canada (694 respondents) – 62%
- Sweden (304 respondents) – 61%
- France (599 respondents) – 59%
- Italy (382 respondents) – 59%
- Spain (205 respondents) – 59%
Admittedly, there were other countries that received higher marks than these top scorers, like Ghana (75%), Serbia (72%), and El Salvador (71%). However, with fewer than 10 respondents each, the test weighed their scores lower due to it not being a significant portion of the population.
What Is the National Privacy Test?
The National Privacy Test is a global test of cybersecurity awareness of countries around the world. The goal is to let everyday users to “test their knowledge on privacy and cybersecurity and identify where you need to improve,” according to the website.
“By creating the National Privacy Test (NPT), NordVPN seeks to determine local and global levels of online privacy and cybersecurity awareness.”
The test asks basic questions on daily digital life, privacy awareness, and actual security habits to get an idea of what users actually know about cybersecurity. Some of the questions in the test include:
- What information do you read on a terms and conditions page?
- What kind of security tools do you use to securely use the internet?
- How do you make sure your Wi-Fi connection is secure?
The test is supported by the NordVPN Social Responsibility program, with the goal “to see the internet the way it was first envisioned – free from crime, censorship, and surveillance.”
Is Cybersecurity Important?
All this talk about cybersecurity probably has you wondering whether or not it even matters for your business. After all, how much could a little security breach actually cost your business in the long run?
The reality, however, is that it can cost you a lot. In fact, recent studies have shown that a single security breach can cost your company almost $10 million, an amount that no business owner should be comfortable with, no matter how good your quarterly report was.
So what can you do to make security a priority? If you can’t afford to hire a full-on cybersecurity professional to keep your team safe, there are other more affordable options available. The best place to start is with the right tools, including password managers, remote desktop software, and VPNs.
