Our personal information is all over the Internet and, unfortunately, so are scammers and cybercriminals looking to take advantage of it. Cybercriminals attempt to use this to trick us into giving away access to our sensitive information and our money. Give yourself an immediate cybersecurity boost with these tips:
- Look out for phishing emails. Phishing is a cybercrime in which attackers disguise fraudulent emails and websites as legitimate ones to trick you into entering sensitive information (e.g. personally identifiable data, usernames and passwords, or banking information) by clicking on a link or opening an attachment.
- More phishing. Malicious actors may use sophisticated phishing methods such as spear-phishing (a phishing attack based on impersonating specific individuals or organisations) and whaling (a phishing attack based on impersonating senior executives or other high-profile targets within a company).
- Even more phishing. Malicious actors also use voice calls (known as vishing) and text messages (SMS/WhatsApp etc.) messages (known as smishing) to gain access to sensitive information.
- Browse the web securely. Only use websites you’re sure are safe and only download attachments/software from trusted sources.
- Watch out for tech support scams. Be vigilant of pop-up adverts intended to trick you into thinking you have a malware infection. Genuine security companies won’t send pop-up advertising to tell you they believe your computer is infected with malware, let alone charge you to fix it.
- Install anti-virus (‘AV’) on your devices and keep it up-to-date. Install AV software on your digital environment (e.g. your computers, mobile phones, and tablets) to protect them from malware. Keep the AV software up-to-date to receive the latest protection from new and emerging threats. IT Services offer free AV protection for staff and students by following this link: https://itservicecentre.ZenUni.ac.uk/hc/en-us/articles/360021194440-Installing-Trend-Micro-Antivirus-on-a-Personal-Mac-or-PC