Do you live in one of Canada’s ‘riskiest’ online cities?
Symantec, once again, has compiled a list of Canadian cities and ranked them on how “risky” they are when it comes to cybercrime threats.
For the second time in three years, Internet security experts Symantec has partnered with research firm Sperling’s BestPlaces to reveal Canada’s top cities with the highest number of cybercrime risk factors.
The Norton software maker uses a variety of variables to determine how risky these cities are, such as the number of cybercrimes tied to the city, how and how often residents connect to the Internet (and on what devices), the prevalence of unsecured Wi-Fi hotspots in the city and overall popularity of social networks, such as Facebook and Twitter.
As with the previous study released in 2010, Burlington, Ontario, faces the highest number of risks. Located in the Halton region at the western end of Lake Ontario, Burlington placed high in all four categories measuring cybercrime data per capita: attempted malware infections, attempted web attacks, attempted spamming and attempted bots by city.
Here are the top 10 “riskiest” online cities in 2012:
1. Burlington, ON
2. Port Coquitlam, BC
3. Vancouver, BC
4. Langley, BC
5. Calgary, AB
6. Fredericton, NB
7. Toronto, ON
8. New Westminster, BC
9. Edmonton, AB
10. Victoria, BC
Symantec concedes, however, Canadian cities with the greatest risk factors do not necessarily correlate with the highest infection rates – suggesting many residents take the necessary precautions to remain safe in a digital world.
In fact, the Mayor of Burlington took at this in a positive light. “This report shows our residents are connected and are reaping the benefits of using the Internet for both personal and business needs,” says Rick Goldring in a press release. “This is a good opportunity to look at these risk factors and remind residents — even those in other cities — to protect themselves and their information online.”
“In our examination of the riskiest online cities, we’ve considered a number of factors that can potentially affect online safety,” says Bert Sperling, founder of Sperling’s BestPlaces and lead researcher on this study, in a company statement. “By looking at data from consumer lifestyle habits as well as cybercrime data provided by Symantec…we’re able to provide a holistic view of the various factors that put a person at potential risk.”
If you’re curious, Levis, Quebec, ranked the least risky online city out of Top 50 Canadian cities examined, followed by Longueuil and Gatineau.
To help protect yourself and your data, Norton suggests to proceed with caution when using Wi-Fi hotspots, use complex and unique passwords for each site you visit (and change your passwords regularly) and stay educated on all the latest threats.