Photo by Greg Rodgers
A recent report by eWeek listed the top 10 nations with the worst internet security problems.
Unsurprisingly, 8 of the 10 countries with the worst malware -- malicious software that installs itself onto your laptop -- were in Asia. Only two, the UAE and Mexico, were outside of the region.
I can verify: using internet cafes in Asia is a risky endeavor. I consistently encountered viruses on my iPod, USB sticks, and camera SD cards whenever I connected them to internet cafe PCs or even friend's laptops. According to an article in the Bangkok Post, an estimated two-thirds of all internet users in Thailand are infected by malicious software.
If you need to connect something to a public computer in Asia via USB, turn on write-protection and scan the device before you hook it up at home! Otherwise, you risk bringing home an unwanted digital souvenir.
Read about internet cafe security and how to protect yourself before you use computers in Asia.
Here's the official list of countries with the worst malware problems, in order by threat:
- Indonesia
- China
- Thailand
- Philippines
- Malaysia
- India
- Mexico
- UAE
- Taiwan
- Hong Kong
According to the new Security Threat Report 2013, the safest places to get online?
Japan, Norway, and Sweden.