SALT LAKE CITY – If you’re confident in the security of your computer and your online habits, you’re probably wrong.
That’s the conclusion of cyber-security analysts at NordVPN, following recent research into the online habits of Americans conducted in late summer and released during Cyber-Security Awareness Month in October.
“Cyber-security works best when protection does not depend on one tool or user making the right decision every single time,” according to Marijus Bredis, the chief technology officer at NordVPN, a digital privacy firm with its headquarters in the Netherlands.
“Traditional security tools still have an important role,” Bredis explains. “But modern scams can exploit trust, familiarity and human judgment.”
The recent NordVPN survey found that 71 percewnt of U.S. internet users believe common sense is enough to protect them from modern cyber threats and 45 percent are highly confident they can identify a fake email, website or message.
Yet when respondents were shown two nearly identical web addresses and asked to spot the bogus website, the results were worse than random guessing.
Only 26 percent of Americans correctly identified the malicious URL, designed to steal credentials. More than half – 53 percent — went further in the wrong direction, flagging the legitimate address as the scam, while 21% could not tell the two apart.
The survey examining cyber-security awareness, online behaviors and vulnerability to phishing attacks powered by artificial intelligence was conducted between August 17 and 26, 2026. It sampled more than 2,000 U.S. residents aged 18–74 who use the Internet.
The results of that research indicated that several common assumptions about online safety remain widespread.
Nearly one in three Americans believe they are safer online because they avoid “bad websites,” while 30% think their devices already come with the security tools they need.
More than one in four see the “HTTPS” prefix as a sign that a website is safe and a similar share believe being tech savvy makes them less likely to fall victim to online threats.
“Common sense is still an important part of staying safe online, but it should not be the only line of defense,” Briedis emphasizes. “Modern scams are designed to look familiar and trustworthy. The more convincing they become, the less realistic it is to expect people to spot every threat on their own.”
Briedis has a number of suggestions for way that Americans could improve their cyber-security, however.
Internet users should be aware that a message is not automatically legitimate simply because it contains a user’s name, a recent purchase or other personal information. Any unexpected messages should be considered suspect.
Briedis also recommends that users get into the habit of using unique passwords and multi-factor authentication whenever possible.
He also reminds Internet users that even links that appear to be sent by friends or family members can actually come from compromised accounts. When in doubt about a link, take the time to confirm its source through another channel.
Finally, Briedis urges users to combine those online safety habits with the use of multiple security tools rather than relying on a single product or individual instincts.
“Combining safer habits with multiple layers of protection can reduce the chances that one convincing message or one mistake leads to a compromise,” he explains.
For more information about the NordVPN survey, go online to www.nordvpn.com
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