AVOID BEING A VICTIM OF CYBERCRIMINALS

Crimes that occur online are often classed as cyber crimes. Cyber criminals can target online networks and devices and their crimes can include personal information theft and financial fraud. Other cyber crimes include things like revenge porn, harassment, bullying, and child sexual abuse. Terrorists also use the internet, as the web provides instant communication and exchange of information between individuals.

Recognizing cyber crime depends on the crime being committed. Malware downloaded to your computer might slow it down and cause error messages. Phishing attacks can involve receiving emails from unknown sources trying to trick you into revealing your passwords or personal data. Keyloggers leave their own tell-tale signs, like strange icons, or duplicating your messages. On the other hand, you may never suspect your computer has been enslaved to a botnet.

USE SECURITY SOFTWARE

With all that money being transferred over the internet it's no surprise that criminals are out to steal peoples data and personal information. A good piece of security software will provide real-time protection against existing and emerging malware, as well as ransomware and viruses. It can also protect your financial information when you go online.

Security software frequently comes with parental controls - tools that allow you to limit what your children can access online. This filters out age inappropriate content and safeguards your children from harmful material on the internet.

CHANGE YOUR PASSWORDS

Passwords were a good idea in the early days of computing, when we only had to remember a few passwords. However, passwords don't work as well in the Internet era, when we have dozens of separate online accounts.

People cope with the sheer number of passwords they have in several ways. Unfortunately, the most common approach is to reuse passwords, which is risky as the loss of one password for one account might result into the loss of multiple accounts.

Don’t reuse passwords and change your passwords regularly. Make them complex. That means using a combination of at least a dozen letters, numbers, and symbols. A password management application, such as Dashlane, can store these complex passwords, so you don’t need to worry about remembering them.

KEEP YOUR SOFTWARE UPDATED

This is important with operating systems such as Windows and Mac OS. Cyber criminals frequently exploit vulnerabilities and flaws in software to gain access to computers.

A software vulnerability is usually a security hole or weakness found in an operating system or software program. Hackers exploit this weakness by writing code to target a specific vulnerability, which is packaged into malware. These exploits can infect your computer with no action on your part other than viewing a website, opening a compromised message, or playing infected media. Patching these exploits and vulnerabilities can reduce the chances of becoming a victim of cyber crime.

PROTECT YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA INFORMATION

Cyber criminals can obtain personal data from your social media pages. For example, if you post your pet’s name or reveal your mother’s maiden name on Facebook, you could expose the answers to two common security questions.

Not all social media privacy threats come from strangers. Sometimes, people in your life turn out to be less than friendly. Online stalking and cyber-bullying have become very well-known threats, and social media makes them easy to perpetrate.

What you post online stays online. Think carefully before posting pictures you wouldn’t want your parents or employers to see. Privacy settings can be tailored to suit on most major social media platforms.

SECURE YOUR WI-FI

Wi-Fi is one entry-point hackers can use to get into your network without setting foot inside your building. A small vulnerability in your Wi-Fi network can give a criminal access to almost all the devices that access that Wi-Fi. This could spell trouble for bank accounts, credit card details, child safety, and a whole lot of other concerns.

Your Wi-Fi should utilise a complex password. A VPN (virtual private network) can also make you more secure online. A VPN will encrypt all traffic leaving your computer until it arrives at its destination. If cyber criminals hack your connection, they won’t intercept anything but encrypted data.

TEACH YOUR CHILDREN

It might seem innocent at the time, but children can easily reveal their age, birth date, address or even family details such as their mother’s maiden name – all things that could be used for security questions or passwords, not just for the child’s accounts, but their parents too.

You can teach your children how to stay safe online without restricting their computer use. Make sure they know that they can talk to you if they experience online harassment, stalking or bullying.

CHECK YOUR ACCOUNTS

Account breaches involve a security incident in which sensitive, protected or confidential data is copied, transmitted, viewed, stolen or used by an individual unauthorized to do so.  Data breaches may involve exposure of passwords and financial information, such as credit card and bank details.

If you have an account with an online company that’s been affected by a recent security breach, find out what information the cyber criminals accessed and change your password immediately. You can also use a website like ‘Have I Been Pwned,' which will check whether your email addresses have been compromised.

2018 was a good year for hackers. They were able to expose 29 million Facebook passwords and 150 million Under Armour user accounts.

SEE YOU IN COURT

We help clients with litigation. Lawsuits can be complex and time-consuming. A private investigator can help you and your solicitor obtain vital evidence to support your case. They can locate key witnesses and identify new leads that could increase your chances of success in the courtroom.

People are sued for a host of reasons, though common reasons include personal injury, defamation, discrimination and debt settlement.

If you’re thinking of suing an individual or business, or are being sued yourself, speak to a solicitor first, as the process can be a long and arduous one involving things like Pre Action Protocols, Pleadings, Costs Management, Disclosure and Witness Statements. A lawsuit should not be undertaken lightly.

YOU’VE BEEN SERVED

We serve legal documents. These documents can include statutory demands, non-molestation orders and divorce petitions. There is often a need to hand deliver these legal papers to individual’s. This activity is referred to as ‘Process Serving.’

We frequently serve documents on individuals at their homes or places of work. Due to the time sensitive nature of legal proceedings, we may go to great lengths to serve the notices and orders as quickly as possible. Once papers have been served, we complete a signed statement of service that can be referred to at a later date by legal representatives.

Though it may sound mundane, serving legal documents is an essential part of the legal system and ensures that all parties in a lawsuit or criminal case are aware of their obligations, as well as court dates, rulings and other developments. If a man wearing a suit and holding a bundle of papers knocks on your door, it could be serious.