How to stay safe online-Beware of phishing Scams
Staying safe online requires a universal effort and can only e achieved through constant education and a change in behaviours.
There are certain habits that we can all learn, change and adapt to help keep our devices secure, protect our most valuable information, lock down our online accounts and protect our data from cyber criminals.
Education on all aspects of cyber security awareness is the first step
Beware of phishing Scams
Many cyber security breaches nowadays are not as a result of technical failures but come from social engineering attacks.
Phishing is a form of social engineering and one of the most common forms of cybersecurity breaches, where cyber attackers exploit the goodwill and trust of people to gain access to systems
An example is someone Pretending to be a technical support personnel and creating emails that ask for usernames and passwords in order to assist them with a network issue.
These emails usually contain a malicious link or attachment, once the recipient clicks on the link malware is installed on the computer.
They can take the form of email, text message, or social media message
Be weary of any message that sounds :
1. urgent or threatening. (do it now, Your account will be closed, action required)
2. Too good to be true offers ( You have won a trip for 2- when you never entered any competition)
These are deigned to make you act quickly and click the link without thinking it through
Another simple way to recognise phishing emails are:
1. spelling mistakes and grammatical errors
2. vague greetings (dear sir/madam, dear valued customer)
What to do if you suspect a Phishing scam
1. Don’t click the link
2. hover over the link without clicking it to reveal the destination address
Phishing emails are so sophisticated these days that it can be almost impossible to tell a fake from the real thing.
It is predicted to get even more confusing and look more realistic with the use of AI.
The attacker can even use your real details to make them look like real contacts known to you.
Where do they get your details you wonder?
The simple answer is that the criminals get your email address and password data etc. from a database of past online data breaches that are published on the dark web.
