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Seattle Tops List Of Riskiest Online Cities
Mike Sachoff
Staff Writer
2010-03-22
 Insider Reports RSS Feed
Cybercrime affects one in five online shoppers and cost Americans $560 million in 2009 due to online fraud, according to a new report from Symantec.
 | | Seattle Tops List Of Riskiest Online Cities |  |
Symantec teamed up with independent research firm Sperling's BestPlaces to find and expose the top 10 cities in the U.S. most vulnerable to cybercrime.
At the top of the rankings, Seattle was found to be the riskiest cybercrime city, placing near the top in categories such as cyberattacks and potential infections; online behavior that can expose more people to cybercrime, such as online shopping and banking online.
Boston and Washington, D.C. follow second and third place. Symantec says both cities experience high levels of cybercrime, possibly due to their large number of Wi-Fi hotspots.
San Francisco and Raleigh are ranked fourth and fifth. San Francisco tops the list for riskiest online behavior and highest number of Wi-Fi hotspots per capita.
Rounding out the top 10 are Atlanta, Minneapolis, Denver, Austin and Portland. According to the Norton research, Atlanta residents experience the most cyberattacks and potential infections. Minneapolis and Portland are near the top for risky online behavior, while Denver and Austin score high across the board.
"With more people than ever relying on the Internet to stay in touch, shop and pay their bills, feeling confident and secure in our information-driven world is vital," said Marian Merritt, Norton Internet Safety Advocate.
"This study highlights the cities most at risk of cybercrime and reminds individuals, families and businesses across the country of the hazards they face each time they go online. We're here to educate consumers about how to protect themselves and ideally never fall victim to cybercrime."
Among the 50 U.S. cities examined, Detroit came in as the least risky online city. El Paso, Texas, and Memphis, Tenn came in second and third repecvively.
"Despite people's familiarity with technology and the Internet, this study shows that everyone is exposed to a certain level of risk when they are online," said Bert Sperling, founder and researcher of Sperling's Best Places.
"No matter where you live - be it Seattle or Detroit - it's important to be vigilant in everyday online behavior in order to protect yourself against cybercrime of all types."
About the Author:
Mike is a staff writer for WebProNews. Visit WebProNews for the latest ebusiness news.
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