The latest Ipsos World Affairs poll* for the Halifax Security Forum highlights global concerns about disinformation and hacking.
Key findings include:
- Disinformation: 76% of respondents across 30 countries view the spread of disinformation as a significant threat.
- Hacking: Also seen as a top threat, 76% are worried about being hacked for fraudulent or espionage purposes. This concern has been consistent over the past decade and increased in 19 out of 30 countries this year.
These issues are seen as the leading threats in 2024.
As disinformation campaigns and cyberattacks are increasingly recognized as global threats, it is clear that individuals, businesses, and governments must take proactive steps to prioritize and strengthen cybersecurity and ensure they are well-prepared to address new challenges from every angle.
This trend will likely continue to grow as Artificial Intelligence evolves into a more autonomous agent capable of independently performing complex sequences of actions. This includes automating tasks currently managed by humans, such as creating social media posts, producing videos, and generating other content that could potentially be used for misinformation. First and foremost, continued efforts are needed to raise public awareness about identifying, questioning, and countering misinformation, particularly in the space of political messaging. Organisations must invest in advanced cybersecurity protocols to safeguard systems and data against inevitable breaches. Additionally, fostering closer collaboration between the public and private sectors is essential to building stronger defenses and resilience against these escalating threats.
by Jake Moore, ESET
*ESET does not bear any responsibility for the accuracy of this information.
ESET Ireland 