By Boluwatife Oshadiya | August 31, 2026
KEY POINTS
- A 2026 Kaspersky survey of 7,200 users across 18 countries reveals smartphone users are significantly more diligent about digital hygiene than PC users, with 77% updating mobile operating systems regularly versus just 53% of PC users
- Security-critical habits ÔÇö changing passwords, backing up data, and reviewing app permissions ÔÇö remain dangerously low across both device types, with fewer than one-third of all users practising them
- Kaspersky experts warn that neglecting PC hygiene poses serious financial and personal data risks, and recommend five concrete steps users should take immediately
MAIN STORY
A new global survey by cybersecurity firm Kaspersky has confirmed what many security experts have long suspected: people treat their smartphones far better than their computers ÔÇö and it is leaving their digital lives exposed on multiple fronts.
The research, conducted by Kaspersky’s market research centre in 2026 and spanning 7,200 respondents across 18 countries, found that smartphone users are consistently more proactive about keeping their devices clean, updated, and organised than PC users. The gap, in some categories, is startling. While 77% of smartphone users regularly update their operating systems and apps, only 53% of PC users do the same. When it comes to deleting unused applications, 73% of mobile users regularly prune their devices compared to just 47% of PC users.
The findings arrive at a moment when cybercriminals are targeting both platforms with increasing sophistication. Kaspersky’s own Security Bulletin for 2025 found that 48% of Windows users and 29% of macOS users encountered at least one cyberthreat during that reporting period ÔÇö underscoring that the PC, despite being perceived as better-managed, remains a prime attack surface.
What is perhaps most alarming is not the gap between mobile and PC care, but what both groups are neglecting entirely. Only 33% of mobile users and 31% of PC users regularly change their passwords. Fewer than 30% on either device back up important data, and only 20% of mobile users ÔÇö and a mere 16% of PC users ÔÇö review or update their app permissions and privacy settings.
“Every device we use, whether a phone or a PC, holds a growing volume of personal and financial information. Photos, messages, bank details, work documents, passwords ÔÇö all of it is valuable, and all of it is a target for cybercriminals,” said Marina Titova, Vice President for Consumer Business at Kaspersky. “Neglecting basic digital hygiene, like removing unused accounts, backing up data or managing privacy settings, leaves that information potentially exposed.”
THE ISSUES
Why PCs Are Being Left Behind
The data points to a structural explanation rooted in how people actually use their devices. Smartphones have become the primary internet access point for the majority of users globally ÔÇö Kaspersky’s survey found that 58% of respondents now use their mobile phones as their main gateway to the internet. That constant, daily interaction breeds familiarity and, with it, more frequent housekeeping.
PCs, by contrast, are used primarily for heavy-duty tasks ÔÇö document management, work applications, and file storage. For 58% of users aged 61 and above, the PC remains their primary internet device. Yet that critical role does not translate into better maintenance habits. The practical consequences of this neglect are significant: outdated applications on PCs can carry unpatched security vulnerabilities, while accumulated unused programmes often retain stored financial data and personal credentials that cybercriminals can exploit long after the user has forgotten about them.
The Security Habit Gap That Cuts Across Both Devices
Beyond the mobile-versus-PC divide lies an even more pressing concern: security-critical habits are poorly adopted across all devices. Changing passwords regularly, backing up data, and managing privacy settings ÔÇö the very practices cybersecurity experts consistently identify as the most effective protections ÔÇö remain minority behaviours. This represents a systemic gap in digital literacy that neither platform-specific behaviour nor device preference can explain away.
WHAT’S BEING SAID
Marina Titova, Kaspersky’s Vice President for Consumer Business, placed the findings in the context of the escalating threat environment. “Kaspersky solutions are designed to help users take control of their digital footprint, combining automated protection with tools that make regular security maintenance easier and more effective,” she said.
The broader industry has echoed similar warnings. Bitdefender’s 2024 Consumer Cybersecurity Assessment Report, based on a survey of over 7,000 consumers, found that nearly half of mobile users forgo mobile security protection altogether ÔÇö despite the fact that more than three-quarters of respondents conduct sensitive financial transactions on their smartphones. The report noted that 23% of users believe their mobile operating system is immune to attack, and 21% are not even aware that mobile security software exists.
Security analysts have long observed this disconnect between risk and user behaviour. As Tanguy de Coatpont, then head of Kaspersky’s French operations, noted in an earlier period of mobile growth, “With smartphones we are going through what we went through 15 years ago with personal computers ÔÇö there are more and more security problems because with their processing power they are really like little computers, permanently connected.” That warning has aged into a documented reality.
Research from TechRadar also found that nearly half ÔÇö 49% ÔÇö of users fear having their private and sensitive information exposed through data breaches, yet still do not take consistent steps to protect themselves. This gap between fear and action is precisely what Kaspersky’s 2026 data continues to document.
HOW TO CLEAN UP YOUR DEVICES ÔÇö KASPERSKY’S 5-STEP GUIDE
Kaspersky’s cybersecurity experts have outlined a practical framework for building consistent digital hygiene habits that protect both mobile and PC users. Here is what they recommend:
1. Schedule a Monthly or Quarterly Device Review
The single biggest reason people neglect their digital hygiene is not indifference ÔÇö it is forgetfulness. Kaspersky recommends setting up a recurring calendar reminder, monthly or quarterly, dedicated specifically to reviewing your devices and accounts. The discipline of having a fixed date transforms cybersecurity from a reactive scramble after a breach into a routine, low-effort maintenance habit. Think of it the same way you would a dental appointment: not glamorous, but essential, and far cheaper than the alternative.
2. Delete Old Accounts and Outdated Payment Methods
Dormant accounts are a cybersecurity liability hiding in plain sight. Old email addresses, long-forgotten e-commerce registrations, and expired payment methods linked to accounts you no longer use all represent access points that cybercriminals can exploit ÔÇö particularly through credential stuffing attacks that use leaked passwords from one platform to break into others. Kaspersky recommends regularly reviewing and deleting unused accounts and saved payment methods, and storing all remaining credentials in a dedicated password manager to maintain a clear record of everywhere you are registered.
3. Automate Your Backups ÔÇö On Both Devices
Only 29% of smartphone users and 28% of PC users back up their data regularly, according to Kaspersky’s survey. This is a critical vulnerability. A ransomware attack, a hardware failure, or even a misplaced phone can result in permanent loss of irreplaceable files, photos, and documents. Kaspersky recommends configuring automatic backups wherever possible ÔÇö for PC users, solutions like Kaspersky Premium allow backups to removable drives or encrypted cloud storage on a scheduled basis, removing the human memory requirement entirely.
4. Install Comprehensive Security Software
Antivirus and security software remains foundational, yet adoption is far from universal. Kaspersky’s own data from its 2025 Security Bulletin found that nearly half of Windows users and nearly a third of macOS users encountered active cyberthreats during the year ÔÇö meaning that unprotected devices face real, documented exposure, not theoretical risk. Kaspersky recommends installing a comprehensive security solution that covers both malware protection and privacy tools, including features such as a secret vault for sensitive documents like passport scans, IDs, and banking records.
5. Stay Informed ÔÇö Knowledge Is a Security Tool
The final recommendation addresses the root cause of the hygiene gap: awareness. Users who understand how threats evolve are significantly better positioned to protect themselves. Kaspersky directs users to resources such as the Kaspersky Daily Blog for ongoing cybersecurity news, threat advisories, and practical guidance. In a landscape where, as cybersecurity analysts noted ahead of 2026, threats increasingly rely on AI-driven personalisation and behavioural targeting, staying informed is no longer optional ÔÇö it is a frontline defence.
WHAT’S NEXT
- Kaspersky’s full 2026 Consumer Digital Hygiene Report, including country-level breakdowns for all 18 surveyed nations, is expected to be published on the company’s research hub at kaspersky.com in the coming weeks.
- The firm’s annual mobile malware report ÔÇö which will complement the 2025 Security Bulletin’s desktop-focused findings ÔÇö is expected to be released separately later in 2026.
- Kaspersky Premium, which includes the automated PC backup feature referenced in the expert tips, is available for consumer purchase globally.
BOTTOM LINE
The Bottom Line: Kaspersky’s 2026 data does not just reveal that smartphone users are more diligent than PC users ÔÇö it exposes a more fundamental problem: across all devices, the security habits that matter most are the ones being skipped. In a threat environment where nearly half of Windows users face an active cyberthreat in any given year, the gap between what people fear and what they actually do to protect themselves has become a vulnerability in its own right.
*The Kaspersky survey was conducted by its market research centre in 2026. A total of 7,200 respondents from 18 countries participated: Brazil, China, Colombia, Egypt, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, South Africa, Thailand, Turkey, and Vietnam.
