Maintaining Online Security: Who Is Ultimately Responsible?
In an increasingly digitized world where almost every facet of our lives is now online in some form or the other - images, video, records, shopping and browsing data, conversations on social media, and so much more - the risks of data theft are frighteningly real. Unfortunately, many people still don’t fully understand the privacy threats from online hackers, and then there are also those who say they simply don’t care. Let’s get real. Online security (or the lack of it) is an issue we must be keenly aware of and protect ourselves against. While more and more online users are now becoming informed about security threats, there are a surprising number who aren’t: young teens just taking to social media, elderly individuals who have recently been introduced to online banking, new online shoppers who are trying to save both time and money with buying on the internet, and other vulnerable segments of web users. It is now more important than ever that we all are cognizant of cybersecurity and take responsibility for our own online safety.
Understanding Online Risks
Data breaches and identity theft are just a couple of facets of the risks lurking online. There’s financial fraud, phishing, dating scams, credit card theft, work from home scams, sweepstakes fraud schemes, lottery winner scams, and many others. Indeed, there are countless methods hackers use to acquire your vital information.
How Do Online Scamsters Operate?
The main feature of online fraud is that it is disguised as something meant for your welfare or benefit, such as work from home opportunities, a lottery, or a basic Ponzi type scheme. In these scenarios, you’re asked to pay some type of fee to acquire the financial benefits being promised.
Children are vulnerable targets because they may more readily trust what they read online and will share valuable information, like their address or phone number. That can make them and/or their loved one targets. The elderly is also at risk
from scamsters posing as insurance agents, bank employees, health benefit providers, etc. in order to extract bank and financial details that are then used to steal their money through online fraud. Once the financial fraud has been committed your bank is not required to return your money or even investigate the issue.
The victim can file a cyber-crime complaint with local police authorities, but these complaints many times remain unresolved. Cybercrime is particularly difficult to investigate and prosecute because it often crosses legal jurisdictions and even international boundaries. Criminals will immediately cover their tracks, such as the email ID and/or phone number they used to approach the victim, before the incident even gets reported.
4.1 billion. That’s the number of online data breaches that have occurred so far in 2019; and we’re not done yet. Data breaches struck at a record pace this year. Consider these statistics for just the first half of 2019:
• 3,800: the number of publicly disclosed breaches
• 4.1 billion: the number of records exposed
• +54%: the increase in the number of reported breaches vs. the first 6 months of 2018
The government has a Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) covering internet security for all its departments and agencies, as national security is at risk. But at the individual and personal level, the responsibility lies solely with the end-user, unless it was an institution that was scammed, such as a bank. As technology companies and user platforms have been gradually strengthening and upgrading their security systems, personal safety measures must be approached in the same way.
Rather than falling prey to fraud it is prudent to look at online security in the same way you look at your physical and financial security. Just as you would lock your home and car, ensure your mobile phone has a 4-6-digit pin, etc., similar precautions need to be taken online as well.
6 Simple Precautions for Personal Online Security:
1. Never give your personal contact or financial information to any unknown individuals or companies.
2. Teach children and the elderly not to share any personal details about themselves or family members. This especially applies to things like chat rooms and groups where unsuspecting people become targets for online abuse.
3. Install child locks or monitoring software that track your child’s browsing so you are aware of their exposure.
4. Install high-quality anti-virus and cyber security software that protects your computer against viruses and detects unsecured websites.
5. Never open unsecured websites or make payments on sites that do not have the VISA, Norton, Verisign, or Mastercard logo on them. Remember to check a website’s SSL certification. Secure websites always have a https:// followed by the name of the site.
6. Last but not least, be very careful before responding to any SMS or WhatsApp links or emails that you’re not familiar with. They could be dangerous.
The victim can file a cyber-crime complaint with local police authorities, but these complaints many times remain unresolved. Cybercrime is particularly difficult to investigate and prosecute because it often crosses legal jurisdictions and even international boundaries. Criminals will immediately cover their tracks, such as the email ID and/or phone number they used to approach the victim, before the incident even gets reported.
4.1 billion. That’s the number of online data breaches that have occurred so far in 2019; and we’re not done yet. Data breaches struck at a record pace this year. Consider these statistics for just the first half of 2019:
• 3,800: the number of publicly disclosed breaches
• 4.1 billion: the number of records exposed
• +54%: the increase in the number of reported breaches vs. the first 6 months of 2018
The government has a Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) covering internet security for all its departments and agencies, as national security is at risk. But at the individual and personal level, the responsibility lies solely with the end-user, unless it was an institution that was scammed, such as a bank. As technology companies and user platforms have been gradually strengthening and upgrading their security systems, personal safety measures must be approached in the same way.
Rather than falling prey to fraud it is prudent to look at online security in the same way you look at your physical and financial security. Just as you would lock your home and car, ensure your mobile phone has a 4-6-digit pin, etc., similar precautions need to be taken online as well.
6 Simple Precautions for Personal Online Security:
1. Never give your personal contact or financial information to any unknown individuals or companies.
2. Teach children and the elderly not to share any personal details about themselves or family members. This especially applies to things like chat rooms and groups where unsuspecting people become targets for online abuse.
3. Install child locks or monitoring software that track your child’s browsing so you are aware of their exposure.
4. Install high-quality anti-virus and cyber security software that protects your computer against viruses and detects unsecured websites.
5. Never open unsecured websites or make payments on sites that do not have the VISA, Norton, Verisign, or Mastercard logo on them. Remember to check a website’s SSL certification. Secure websites always have a https:// followed by the name of the site.
6. Last but not least, be very careful before responding to any SMS or WhatsApp links or emails that you’re not familiar with. They could be dangerous.
