Due to the significant growth of online shopping, it’s important to remind the most important habits to stay safe in cyberspace, both at home and at work. These nine tips help you recognise and combat digital security threats and be less vulnerable to cyber-attacks. Thus, we remind you here of some of the main tips to protect yourself against malicious online attacks:
1. Practice safe web browsing wherever you are by always checking the padlock icon in the browser bar. This means a connection that carries your data safely.
2. When using Wi-Fi, avoid open networks without access keys, as is the case with some free Internet access services.
3. If you are using an unsecured public hotspot, remember good internet usage practices by avoiding sensitive activities that require passwords or credit cards. Your hotspot is often a safer alternative to free Wi-Fi.
4. Do not disclose personally identifiable information such as tax number or date of birth to unknown sources.
5. Type website URLs directly into the address bar rather than clicking links or cutting and pasting from email.
6. Be on the lookout for phishing emails and fake websites. Be wary of any email asking you to verify or renew your credentials, even if it appears to come from a trusted source. In all cases, try to verify the authenticity of the request through other means, such as accessing the service in question directly.
7. Do not click on suspicious links or open dubious attachments, especially if they appear in the context of e-mails relating to purchases, orders or other actions that you do not remember doing.
8. Check your online accounts and bank statements regularly and report any suspicious activity to your bank. If you think you have been victim of an attack, contact your bank. If possible, enable two-factor authentication for payments.
9. Make sure your system (operating system and applications) is up to date, as well as ensuring that anti-virus and anti-malware are installed and fully up to date.
