Impact of cybercrime on internet users in France - Statistics & Facts
Cybercrime is still a significant risk for individuals worldwide. With the effort that governments and organizations put into raising awareness, even relatively advanced digital markets, like France, are still vulnerable to ever-evolving cyberthreats. Around four in ten internet users in France admit that an unauthorized third party had probably accessed their online data. According to the most recent data, more than a third of internet users in France have encountered hacking incidents with women being more likely than men to have experienced cyber incidents in the past.
The cost of cybercrime in France has significantly increased in recent years. In 2023, the financial losses and costs of cybercrime incidents amounted 93 billion U.S. dollars. In 2016, this figure was at 5.1 billion U.S. dollars and has greatly increased since then.
France has one of the highest levels of data breach density in the world. In the first quarter of 2023, 48 data points were breached per thousand individuals, down from 212 in the third quarter of 2022. The most common type of data French users lost in data breaches is login credentials, passwords in particular.
Not all organizations have a good reputation regarding consumer trust with their data but still almost nine in ten individuals in France said they would share their personal data with healthcare institutions, banks, and tax authorities. At the same time, they expected the government to take certain measures requiring companies to treat user data more appropriately.
The level of concern about online data privacy in France varies among different age groups. Individuals between 35 and 49 years were worried most about the risks of cyberattacks, while younger individuals aged 18 to 24 were the least concerned age group.
The cost of cybercrime in France has significantly increased in recent years. In 2023, the financial losses and costs of cybercrime incidents amounted 93 billion U.S. dollars. In 2016, this figure was at 5.1 billion U.S. dollars and has greatly increased since then.
Data breaches in France
The number of user accounts affected in data breaches in France has fluctuated since the first quarter of 2020. Reaching the highest point in the third quarter of 2021, 12.2 million, it dropped to less than a million in the following quarters. In the latest measured quarter, 5.03 million user records were exposed in data breaches.France has one of the highest levels of data breach density in the world. In the first quarter of 2023, 48 data points were breached per thousand individuals, down from 212 in the third quarter of 2022. The most common type of data French users lost in data breaches is login credentials, passwords in particular.
Perception of online data privacy among French consumers
In many cases, cyberattacks are successful because of the underestimation of their risk. As the nature of cyberattacks changes very quickly, it requires individuals to constantly work to stay privacy-conscious. Despite the high share of those experiencing cybersecurity incidents, almost half of the surveyed internet users in France believed they were protected from their banking data being compromised and overall phishing attacks. Most French internet users say they are very privacy conscious, with a three in ten stating they occasionally take privacy actions.What actions do French take to stay safe online?
The majority of internet users in France protect themselves actively from online threats. In a 2022 survey, around 56 percent of respondents stated that they took privacy actions, such as storing passwords outside the internet or installing a firewall or security software.Not all organizations have a good reputation regarding consumer trust with their data but still almost nine in ten individuals in France said they would share their personal data with healthcare institutions, banks, and tax authorities. At the same time, they expected the government to take certain measures requiring companies to treat user data more appropriately.
Concerns among French users regarding data privacy
Despite being confident of their privacy consciousness, French internet users are worried about their online privacy. A survey found that more than 40 percent were concerned about how companies might use their online data, while 36 percent preferred to stay anonymous when using online services. Loss of banking credentials, money, and identity theft were the leading concerns among French people.The level of concern about online data privacy in France varies among different age groups. Individuals between 35 and 49 years were worried most about the risks of cyberattacks, while younger individuals aged 18 to 24 were the least concerned age group.
