Our world is consumed by the Internet. And everything we do on the Internet is open to threat. A local example of this is the case of The Queensland School of Photography. Fraudsters were able to steal thousands of dollars from the school by transacting online utilising credit card details of the parents of their Queensland students in March this year. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) reported that online scamming and cyber crimes of businesses rose to 30%. Huge or small businesses are both targets of these online attacks. However, these threats can be avoided if users follow safe procedures while online. Follow these tips and protect yourselves.
1. Think twice before clicking
Be careful when clicking links from unknown people or in unfamiliar emails. These can be malicious emails containing links that may lure you to websites requesting your personal information or download malware without your knowledge. Users must also remain cautious of emails even from people you know. Fraudsters can create phishing emails that may look like they’re coming from your friend or co-workers’ email account.
2. Be aware of online scams
By being aware of the present online frauds such as WannaCry or WannaCrypt which are spread by leveraging on the vulnerability of the Windows opearting system, users can learn about avoiding these threats. It is recommended to read related blogs, articles, news reports for regular updates.
3. Utiliseun crackable passwords
Do away with Sweetgirl123 and similar passwords and use more secure complex ones such as 78Aus&mseW% where a combination of upper and lowercase, numbers and special characters are used. Users also need to change passwords regularly and avoid password duplication for important accounts.
4. Ensure youhave Backups
Don’t let your guard down. Make sure you backup important data and files on your computer, phone, or tablet. If you are a business and lose all of your pertinent data from a cyber attack, you still have hope as you can access these backups to restore your data. We recommend getting in touch with IT support services brisbane. They have Disaster recovery solutions for Australian businesses.
5. Install firewall
To ensure a good line of defence, ensure you have installed a comprehensive and correctly configured firewall to defend your computer against cyber-attacks. Managed Services Brisbane like Cymax can offer you one of the best firewall defences.
6. Guard your WiFi connections
Change the default settings of your router and make sure it is protected by a password. For businesses, there are IT solutions Brisbane that can further give you security options.
7. Shop safely
Avoid shopping on websites without a padlock icon either on the right or left and “https” in the URL. Also, utilise credit cards and companies such as PayPal as these companies have buyer protections for customers, protecting them against fraudulent people and companies.
8. Update software
An automatic update is one of the best features of quality software. Make use of the latest security patches and updates provided by manufacturers and do routine scans. This way, your computer is up to date and protected.
There is no safe place for anyone. Don’t be a victim of online frauds on the Web. Follow these tips and be safe.
