BRUSSELS, February 7, 2011 (KUNA) -- In the European Union in 2010, almost one third of individuals (31%) who used the Internet reported that they caught a virus or other computer infection resulting in loss of information or time during this period, according to a report released here today by Eurostat, the statistical office of the EU. A large majority of individuals (84%) who used the Internet last year stated that they used an IT security software or tool to protect their private computer and data. The report was released on the occasion of Safer Internet Day which falls tomorrow, Tuesday , as part of a global campaign to promote a safer Internet for all users, in particular children and young people. The event is organised by INSAFE, a European internet safety network co-funded by the European Commission. Up to 3% of Internet users in the EU last year suffered financial loss due to phishing or pharming attacks or fraudulent payment card use and 4% of reported that they suffered from an abuse of personal information sent on the Internet. In 2010, 14% of individuals in the EU who used the Internet and live in a household with children had a parental control or web filtering software installed.