DAYTON — A five-year study of 25,000 people by the National Cyber Security Alliance found that nearly one-third of respondents believe cybercrime is unavoidable.
This perception has led many individuals to take no action to protect their personal information despite the growing frequency of digital threats.
The findings from the cybersecurity nonprofit revealed that 44% of those surveyed were victims of cybercrime in 2025.
Experts warn that a passive approach to digital security is ineffective, as cyberattacks continue to target sensitive personal data and major regional networks.
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Cyberattacks are reported to occur every 11 seconds, affecting both individual users and large-scale health care networks. In the Miami Valley, major systems like Kettering Health have previously been targeted by hackers, an incident that compromised the personal data of thousands of patients.
Kelli DiCillo, CEO of Fatal Cyber Security and Stealth Online, said that the belief that cybercrime is inevitable should not prevent people from taking basic safety measures.
She compared digital protection to standard safety protocols used in everyday life.
“If you think you’re going to get into a car accident, you just don’t wear your seat belt,” DiCillo said. “I mean, you know, it doesn’t make sense if you think you’re going to be at risk for a cyber attack, you should take the precautions. I mean, especially with your data, your social security numbers, your birth dates, your medical history, your kids’ information, and your bank accounts. I mean, you should never put yourself at risk.”
To reduce the risk of becoming a victim, DiCillo recommends that individuals use two-factor authentication for all digital accounts and avoid connecting to public Wi-Fi networks.
These measures help protect sensitive information, including Social Security numbers and financial records, from being easily accessed by unauthorized parties.
If a person discovers their information has been compromised, DiCillo emphasized that immediate action is necessary to prevent further loss of data. She noted that because stolen data is often difficult to recover, changing passwords as quickly as possible is the most effective response.
“Change all your passwords, check all your banking information, and set up those two factors moving forward,” DiCillo said.
“That is the best thing that you can do, because a lot of times you’re not able to recover the data that’s out there. You won’t even know what’s out there. So change all of your passwords immediately.”
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