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.