The UK government should launch an awareness-raising campaign to teach Brits how to stay safe online and avoid malware which could steal their personal and bank details, a group of MPs say.
In a report, the Science and Technology Select Committee says that the "increasing proportion of economic activity" taking place online means malware poses a growing threat.
The MPs argue that 80% of protection against cyber-attack comes down to routine IT hygiene but there is no single place for people to get advice on this and many sources are "jargon filled".
The report says that to get the message across, TV exposure is crucial and also calls for more money for and promotion of the existing government Web site, Get Safe Online. Advice from this should be provided with every device capable of accessing the Internet and all Government sites should link to it and highlight the latest security updates.
Andrew Miller MP, chair, Commons Science and Technology Committee, says: "Despite the increasing use of malware, the Internet is still a reasonably safe place to go about one's business, provided users take a few sensible precautions. Government departments need to realise that better public information about computer safety could save huge numbers of people the hassle of having their personal details stolen."