Keep yourself safe from cyber crime during lockdown

With non-essential workers working from home during the lockdown, a lot of time is being spent on the internet. People tend to spend more time scrolling through social media, taking online classes or watching shows or movies.

With this in mind, the police recently released a statement with tips on preventing cyber crime.

The statement said that cyber crime is a fast-growing area of crime, and more and more criminals are exploiting the speed, convenience and anonymity of the internet to commit a diverse range of crimes that knows no borders.

Also Read:

https://www.citizen.co.za/krugersdorp-news/423016/rainbows-and-smiles-takes-on-additional-challenge-of-covid-19-paediatric-support/

These types of crime can be divided into three broad areas, namely, attacks against computer hardware and software such as botnets, malware and network intrusions; financial crimes and corruption such as online fraud and phishing; and lastly abuse in the form of grooming or ‘sexploitation’, especially against children.

Here are the police’s 10 cyber crime prevention tips that will help keep you and your family safe:

1. Use strong passwords – Use different ID/ password combinations for different accounts, and do not write them down. You can make passwords more complicated by using letters, numbers and special characters, preferably a minimum of 10 characters. Change them regularly.

2. Secure your computer – Activate your firewall as it is the first line of cyber defence. Use anti-virus/ malware software to protect your computer from being infected with viruses. Update this software regularly. Block spyware attacks, and install and update anti-spyware software regularly.

3. Be social-media savvy – Make sure your social media networking profiles are set to private. Check your security settings and be careful about the information you post online. Once it is on the internet it is there forever.

4. Secure your mobile devices – Your mobile devices are vulnerable to hackers and viruses as well. Download applications from trusted sources.

5. Install the latest operating-system updates – Keep your applications and operating systems up to date with the latest system updates. Turn on your automatic updates to prevent potential attacks on older software.

6. Protect your data – Use encryption for your most sensitive files, such as tax returns or financial records, and back up all your data regularly.

7. Secure your wireless networks – Your Wi-fi at home is also vulnerable to intrusion if it is not secured properly. Review and modify your default settings. Public Wi-fi or hot spots are also vulnerable, so avoid performing financial or corporate transactions on these networks.

8. Protect your e-identity – Be careful when giving out personal information such as your name, address, phone number or financial information on the internet. Make sure that websites are secure, for example when making online purchases, or that you have enabled privacy settings when using social network sites.

9. Avoid being scammed – Always think before you click on a link or file of unknown origin. Do not feel pressured by emails. Check the source of the message and do not reply to mails that ask you to verify your information, or confirm your user ID and password.

10. Call the right person for help – If you are a victim or encounter illegal internet content, such as child exploitation; or if you suspect a computer crime, identity theft or commercial scam, report it to your local police station.

Content sourced from www.saps.gov.za.