Norton Top 10 Riskiest Online Cities Report Reveals Who’s Most Vulnerable to Cybercrime

Seattle Tops the List with its Residents at Greatest Risk

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. – March 22, 2010 — Cybercrime, a threat that affects one in five online shoppers1 and cost Americans more than $560 million in 2009 due to online fraud2, may hit closer to home than many realize. Norton from Symantec (Nasdaq: SYMC) teamed up with independent research firm Sperling’s BestPlaces to find and expose the nation’s top 10 cities most vulnerable to cybercrime.

The following are ranked Norton’s Top 10 Riskiest Online Cities:

1.) Seattle
2.) Boston
3.) Washington, D.C.
4.) San Francisco
5.) Raleigh, N.C.
6.) Atlanta
7.) Minneapolis
8.) Denver
9.) Austin, Texas
10.) Portland, Ore.

The rankings were determined through a combination of Symantec Security Response’s data on cyber attacks and potential malware infections, as well as third-party data about online behavior, such as accessing Wi-Fi hotspots and online shopping.

Norton’s Top 3 Safety Tips
No matter where your city ranks on the list, people everywhere can benefit from online safety tips to help prevent becoming a victim of a cybercrime:
• Use legitimate security software that offers complete protection against known and unknown online threats – Comprehensive security solutions like Norton Internet Security and Norton 360 will ensure you’re fully protected against malware, spyware, hackers, zero-day threats, and identity theft.
• Always keep your computer’s operating system and the software you run on it patched – Don’t ignore prompts to update your OS or applications with critical security fixes. Cybercriminals can get in through “holes” in unpatched computers.
• Stay educated – Visit Norton’s site www.everyclickmatters.com and download Norton’s Family Online Safety Guide to learn more about the realities of cybercrime.

For more information, please visit www.NortonRiskiestOnlineCities.com.

About Norton From Symantec
Symantec’s Norton products protect consumers from cybercrime with technologies like antivirus, anti-spyware and phishing protection - while also being light on system resources. The company also provides services such as online backup and PC tuneup, and is a trusted source for family online safety. Friend us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/norton and follow @NortonOnline on Twitter.

About Sperling’s BestPlaces
Bert Sperling has been helping people find their own “Best Place” to live, work and retire for more than 20 years. His firm, Sperling’s BestPlaces, puts facts in the hands of the public so they can make better decisions about best places to live, work, retire, play, or relocate.

1 Consumer Reports: http://pressroom.consumerreports.org/pressroom/2009/05/consumer-reports-survey-one-in-five-online-consumers-have-been-victims-of-cybercrime.html
2 Internet Crime Complaint Center http://www.ic3.gov/media/2010/100312.aspx

Contact Information

Cecilia Daclan

Media Contact

Symantec Corporation

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