Accenture Study: 74% of US Citizens Lack Confidence in Agencies’ Data Security, Privacy Measures

A new Accenture study has found that 74 percent of U.S. citizens said they do not feel confident with government agencies’ capacity to ensure the security and privacy of digital personal data.

Accenture said Monday it commissioned Market Strategy Group to conduct an online survey of 3,469 U.S. citizens from September to October 2016 and found that 65 percent of respondents do not have confidence in law enforcement agencies’ ability to investigate cyber crimes.

The survey also showed that 63 percent of respondents said they would feel more assured if agencies work to build up their data security and privacy policies.

Respondents expressed support for data security services that could be implemented by agencies such as the availability of cyber defense support, security assessments and digital identity security services.

“Government agencies that take a comprehensive end-to-end security approach by integrating cybersecurity deep into their organizations will not only secure their data, but also win the trust and confidence of the citizens they serve,” said Peter Hutchinson, public service strategy lead at Accenture.

Sixty-eight percent of respondents mentioned identity theft as one of the top cyber threats, followed by unauthorized financial record access and credit card-related data theft.

The study also found that 66 percent said they would forgo convenience in favor of stronger data security measures.