Viruses cost us £3 billion every year

Brits will spend up to a staggering £3 billion this year repairing and replacing virus-ridden PCs

24 January 2006 12:56 GMT / By Stuart Miles

Telewest, who seem to be doing more surveys than most recently, has found that Brits will spend up to a staggering £3 billion this year repairing and replacing virus-ridden PCs.

New research from cable company Telewest reveals that the average price of curing a computer virus now stands at £260 - significantly more than remedying a common cold. Moreover, a quarter of UK PC owners succumb to "virus rage" and admit to ditching their machine rather than calling someone in to fix it.

Despite high levels of anxiety over online security, more than one in ten (12%) aren't adequately protected against infection. And even though 73% of us regularly worry about our computer security - with a third stressing daily about being targeted by viruses, hackers or spyware - one in ten Brits still admit to opening emails from unrecognised sources.

The research comes on the back of Telewest promoting its PCguard service that available to its broadband internet customers.

Full tags

Software, Online, Viruses And Malware, Telewest, Surveys