Governments Worldwide Have a Duty to Improve Public Cyber Literacy According to the Oliver Wyman Forum

While almost 95 percent of cybersecurity issues can be traced back to human error, such as accidentally clicking on a malicious link, most governments have not invested enough to educate their citizens about the risks according to a new report from the Oliver Wyman Forum. Cyber literacy, along with financial literacy, is a new 21^st century priority for governments, educational institutions, and businesses.

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Cyber Risk Literacy and Education Index - Oliver Wyman Forum (Graphic: Business Wire)

“Cyberattacks are now one of the fastest growing crimes globally and are expected to cost organizations more than $600 billion dollars a year by 2021,” said Paul Mee of the Oliver Wyman Forum. “The situation has become even more pressing during the pandemic as our reliance on the internet has grown. Yet many citizens still lack the basic skills to keep themselves, their communities, and their employers safe.”

In the new Cyber Risk Literacy and Education Index, the Oliver Wyman Forum assessed 50 geographies including the European Union, on the present cyber risk literacy of its population, and the nature of related education and training available to promote and enable future cyber risk literacy. Specifically, the Index measures five key drivers of cyber-risk literacy and education: The public’s motivation to practice good cybersecurity hygiene; government policies to improve cyber literacy; how well cyber risks are addressed by education systems; how well businesses are raising their employees cyber skills, and the degree to which digital access and skills are shared broadly within the population.

Switzerland, Singapore and the UK topped the list because of their strong government policies, education systems and training, practical follow through and metrics as well as population motivation to reduce risk. Switzerland, the number one ranked country, has a comprehensive implementation document that lays out specific responsibilities along with what national or provincial legislation is required. Specific milestones are set, and timelines are assigned to ensure accountability regardless of who oversees the government.