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NewswireTODAY - /newswire/ -
Copenhagen, Denmark, 2013/06/05 - Secunia, a leading provider of IT security solutions that enable businesses and private individuals to manage and control vulnerability threats, today published the Secunia Country Report for the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg - Secunia.com.
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The Secunia Country Reports provide insight into software security - more specifically, how much insecure software is present on private PCs in a number of different countries.
The Secunia Country Reports published today describes the state of security on private PCs in the three Benelux countries: the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg.
A few examples of what can you find in the Secunia Country Reports for Benelux:
• 50% of Belgian users have Oracle Java 7 installed on their PC, and 22% had not patched it, even though a patch is available. There are 95 vulnerabilities in the program. This means that 11% of all private Belgian PCs are made vulnerable by Oracle Java 7.
• An average PC in the Netherlands has 74 programs installed ofrom 23 different vendors. This means that the user has to master 23 different update mechanisms in order to patch the 74 programs and any vulnerabilities in them.
• 11% of private PC users in Luxembourg have an unpatched Windows operating system.
Based on data from millions of users
The reports are based on data from the millions of users of Secunia’s free consumer security software, the Personal Software Inspector (Secunia PSI). The data includes the average numbers of installed programs patched and unpatched on private PCs and includes information on, for example, the 10 most exposed programs, the number of programs installed on PCs, the share of Microsoft and non-Microsoft (so-called third-party) programs and the prevalence of End-of-life programs.
Secunia has been collecting data on the security status of private PCs since 2007.
The launch of the Secunia Country Reports for the Benelux countries coincides with the translation of the Secunia Personal Software Inspector into Dutch.
"We are launching the Secunia PSI 3.0 in Dutch to make it easier for Dutch PC users to stay secure. The Country Reports demonstrate that PC users in the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg are no different from PC users in other countries when it comes to installing security updates for their software programs," explains Maria Eriksen-Jensen, VP of Business Development at Secunia, and continues:
"PC users in the Benelux tend to believe that antivirus programs are sufficient protection for their PCs and the data on them. But antivirus is not enough it only detects viruses that are already on your computer. Instead of security which reacts to threats that are already present on your computer, you need proactive security that patches the “security holes” the vulnerabilities that enables malware to gain access to your system in the first place."
Based on current operations in the Benelux countries, where Secunia provides security solutions to several enterprises and institutions, Secunia has identified a heightened level of awareness on IT security and on software vulnerabilities in particular in the corporate sphere. It is also a distinct trend that IT professionals are realizing the importance of applying security patches to secure the data and IT infrastructure in their organizations.
Secunia hopes to see this awareness mirrored and acted upon among private PC users, not least because the IT habits and level of security among private PC users has significant impact on corporate security:
"We hope that the data from our country reports, with their unique documentation of the share of unpatched programs on private PCs, can help generate awareness as well as understanding of how important it is to keep software updated. And we know that by translating the Personal Software Inspector into Dutch we will make it even easier to handle the updates of non-Microsoft programs and ensure that PCs stay secure," says Maria Eriksen-Jensen.
More about vulnerabilities and security updates
Vulnerabilities are the root cause of security issues
A vulnerable software program that isn't patched compromises the security of the PC. This is because it leaves the PC vulnerable to being exploited by hackers.
Vulnerabilities are discovered in software programs on a regular basis, and the vendor will usually release a patch for users to apply in the form of a security update. If users do not perform these updates, their PC will be vulnerable to attacks because hackers can use the vulnerability as an entry point.
Security updates are key
If private users do not patch their software with the latest security updates, there is a risk that the software is insecure. Hackers who exploit vulnerabilities can gain access to the computer and everything on it including bank and credit card details, passwords and social media activity.
The best way for private users to stay secure is to make sure the software on their PCs is always updated with the latest software security updates. To make this task easier, it is recommended to download the Secunia PSI 3.0.
The Secunia PSI 3.0 is a free computer security scanner which identifies software applications that are insecure and in need of security updates. Secunia PSI 3.0 users receive automatic security updates from Secunia.
About Secunia
Founded in 2002, Secunia (secunia.com) is a leading provider of IT security solutions that help businesses and private individuals globally manage and control vulnerability threats, risks across their networks, and end-points. This is enabled by Secunia’s award-winning Vulnerability Intelligence, Vulnerability Assessment, and Patch Management solutions that ensure optimal and cost-effective protection of critical information assets.
Secunia plays an important role in the IT security ecosystem, and is the preferred supplier for enterprises and government agencies worldwide, counting Fortune 500 and Global 2000 businesses among its customer base. Secunia is headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark.
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