Investors Expect Privacy, Protection of Financial Information: ING Survey

While about 75% of adults go online to handle financial accounts—401(k), investments, checking, or savings—a whopping 93% said that they’re aware that doing so could involve risk. But, according to a survey commissioned by ING and released Wednesday, nine in 10 think their financial institutions should do more to safeguard their accounts and personal information; 84% also expected that, in addition to the steps they themselves take to protect their privacy, their financial institutions would also actively protect their accounts by notifying them of any suspicious activity, and 76% expected those institutions to use the latest and greatest software and security to keep their accounts intact.

While only 5% considered themselves experts in protecting their personal information online, they do work at it: 72% keep their anti-virus software updated, 60% only use secure computers to access their accounts, and 56% only work with companies or institutions they trust. But that doesn’t mean they’re confident about the results; 87% worry about whether their savings and investments can be hacked and 26% feel their data is not secure.