The enterprise or business cybersecurity market is focused on different areas than the consumer facing cybersecurity market.

Enterprises, such as Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN), are mostly concerned about protecting their user’s data from hackers, as they want to be trustworthy and avoid any lawsuits.

Consumers, on the other hand, are oftentimes concerned about hackers or scammers getting access to their financial accounts, such as bank accounts or credit card information, as any lapses in these areas can create huge financial problems.

The most common cybersecurity threats that consumers are facing are the following ones:

We see that different types of online scams are the most significant and persistent threat, which is different to the threats that enterprises and large organizations face. Identity theft and the financial breaches are other major points of concern for consumers.

The fear of cyber threats even impacts the way consumers behave online as well: 53% of US adults are reluctant to click online ads due to them fearing potential threats, while some consumers are also avoiding online shopping or mobile payments altogether, according to a CivicScience poll. Since most of the Western countries have consumer-driven economies, this is a serious issue for everyone.

Due to the fact that everyone can be a victim of cybercrimes, cybersecurity risks are one of the top safety concerns among American consumers:

Cyberthreats, such as identity theft or having one’s financial information stolen is at the top of the list, with three-quarters of Americans worrying about these crimes, but this universal concern is a business opportunity as well. As we’ve seen and will continue to see, there’s ample potential for companies to offer protection against these types of threats.

According to alliedmarketresearch.com, the consumer cybersecurity software market is forecast to grow from around $8 billion in 2022 to around $20 billion in 2032, which would represent a market size increase of around 150% in a decade.

Clearly, this is a major growth market, driven by the ongoing digitalization of our daily lives and by the fact that consumers are increasingly worried about being exposed to cybersecurity threats.

How to Invest in the Cybersecurity MegaTrend

There are many different companies that are active in this space, as the industry is pretty fragmented, but according to mordorintelligence.com, the top companies offering consumer cybersecurity offerings are the following ones:

McAfee is the number one player in this space with NortonLifeLock, Cisco Systems (NASDAQ: CSCO), RSA Security, and Trend Micro (OTC: TMICY) are also in the front of the pack.

CSCO is the largest company among these by market capitalization, but it’s not a pure-play in the space, as the majority of CSCO’s revenues are generated via the sale of switching and routing products. Still, the company’s strong profitability, healthy balance sheet, and size could make it appealing for investors.

Pure-play McAfee traded publicly until two years ago when the company was acquired by an investor group for $14 billion. TMICY is still traded publicly, but significantly less profitable compared to CSCO, although it’s a more focused cybersecurity opportunity.