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UAE: Nearly half of residents rely only on passwords to protect their internet, says survey

Speed is the main priority among those planning to upgrade their broadband service

With many UAE residents using their home broadband for tasks like banking and working, there is a general lack of awareness of more comprehensive security approaches, with almost half – 47 per cent – relying on an internet password only to protect their home broadband.

According to a new survey released by global technology firm Cisco, about a quarter of UAE internet users use more elaborate protection, such as turning on the firewall on their wireless router and checking for hardware and software updates.

Abdelilah Nejjari, managing director for the Gulf region at Cisco, said, with the evolution and complexity of cyber-attacks, raising public awareness of online safety and usage of more sophisticated means for protection like multi-factor authentication (MFA), is more important than ever. “Cybersecurity needs to go hand in hand with the rapid adoption of digitisation in the UAE,” he said.

UAE officials and banks have advised residents and their customers time and again to be careful when accessing their bank accounts and other personal data on open WiFi at malls and other public places.

The survey covered 1,000 respondents from the UAE and looked at how consumers use broadband, and what they expect in terms of connectivity, sustainability, and enabling their digital lives.

The Cisco survey found that speed is the main priority among those planning to upgrade their broadband service next year while security is a close second as a top priority.

Nejjari said the UAE is among the world’s leading countries in various digital life indexes. “Consumers are increasingly relying on the internet that encompasses every facet of their daily lives. Given the fast expansion of IoT, hybrid work and digitisation in general, a continued investment must be made to enhance and upgrade the underlying network infrastructure and propel future economic growth across the country,” he said.

Carbon concern

A majority – 77 per cent – of UAE consumers are concerned about the carbon footprint of their broadband, hence, 92 per cent of them are willing to pay more for sustainable broadband connectivity, said the survey.

The survey found heightened environmental consciousness in the UAE as 61 per cent of residents were aware of the internet’s carbon dioxide footprint.

It found that 63 per cent of respondents plan to upgrade their internet service in the next 12 months, mainly looking for speed and security. While around 62 per cent of respondents rely on their home Internet to work from home or run a business.

“With the UAE boasting one of the highest internet penetration rates in the world, consumers are raising their connectivity aspirations and are increasingly willing to pay extra for a broadband service with a lower carbon footprint,” said Mohammed Tantawi, managing director, telcos and service providers for MEA at Cisco.