The latest security index released by the research company Unisys indicates that Americans practice secure strategies online, though there is room for improvement. The research indicates that Americans place third in terms of protecting themselves online, following Brazil and Germany.

According to the report, approximately 80 percent of Americans limit access to personal information on their social media profiles, such as Twitter or Facebook, on a regular basis. A mere 6 percent said they never do.

Nearly two-thirds of U.S. citizens who use the internet update their computer antivirus software regularly, while 8 percent said they never do.

One area where Americans are more lax about security is their mobile devices - only 37 percent of those surveyed use and update passwords on their smart phones and other mobile technology.

The research also indicates that 61 percent of Americans think President Obama should be able to shut down portions of the internet that have been compromised.

Approximately 9 million cases of ID theft are reported to the Federal Trade Commission every year. Those who wish to protect themselves online may want to use a secure payment device when shopping online.