In today’s highly digital and hyper-connected world, a great deal of our interactions, shopping and entertainment now comes over the internet. We can now connect to anyone anywhere and access a wide range of information and products from around the world.
There are great benefits to being hyper-connected, but there are also risks. Our accounts and devices hold vast amounts of information that cybercriminals are actively seeking so they can benefit from this. Our data and information are crown jewels that we need to protect.
What are cybercriminals looking for?
Cybercriminals are looking for data and personal information that they can use to exploit for financial gain or to conduct other criminal activity. They are seeking:
Financial data such as credit card information, bank account details, or investment details.
Personally identifiable information (PII) such as full name, address, birth certificate information, social insurance numbers, passport information, or license numbers.
Personal health information beyond contact and identification information such as any illnesses, services received, dates of services, or medications.
Sensitive personal information including photos, videos, travel plans, or any other information you would not want disclosed.
The personal impacts of cybercrime
Once a cybercriminal gets this information, they then can exploit it for a variety of purposes. These all have negative impacts in individuals such as
Financial loss – After gathering data such as banking login credentials attackers can access accounts and steal money, often resulting in financial losses where its difficult to repair the damage.
Identity theft – Using your identity cybercriminals can set up new accounts or credit cards or make purchases using your name. This can greatly damage your credit rating and possible false implication in criminal activities.
Ransomware – Criminals can download malware on to devices then lock them until a ransom is paid.
Using your computer resources – Attackers can infect a computer with software that hijacks some of the computing power to do crypto mining or for use as a botnet, where your computer may be used to launch attacks on other computers or devices.
Stress and anxiety – If you have been compromised it can take considerable effort to go through all your financial records, change passwords, cancel accounts, and restore your information. Additionally if sensitive information is disclosed it could affect your reputation and may cause challenges when applying for jobs, rentals, etc.
Take action to protect your accounts and devices
There are many things each person can do to protect their accounts and devices. Here are some basic steps everyone can do to increase protection.
Use strong passwords: Always use complex passphrases and be sure to use unique passwords for every account.
Enable multi factor authentication (MFA): MFA gives another layer of security beyond just your username and password so use it whenever a service or application provides it.
Use a password manager: Trying to remember all of the unique and complex passwords may be difficult so a password manager simplifies the management of all your passwords.
Keep systems and software up to date: Hackers often look for systems that are not up to date as they often have vulnerabilities. Make sure your operating system and antivirus are always up to date and use the auto update function to make it easier.
Back up your data: In the event that you are breached having a backup of your data ensure you do not loos important information and it makes recovery much easier. This is particularly useful if you get a ransomware attack.
Secure your home Wi-Fi: Ensure that you create your own unique and complex password and never use the default password that comes with the router. Do not share your password and you have visitors that want access set up a guest network.
Monitor your account activity: Regularly check your banking and credit card activity for unusual activity and report it immediately.
Exercise caution when using public computers or Wi-Fi: Avoid as much as possible. If you must use then do not log in to important accounts like banking or email. If it is necessary to get important information, use a VPN. If using a public computer be sure to clear the cache when done.
Additional insight to help protect you
To learn more about how you can protect yourself online we encourage you to read our other articles and articles from GetCyberSafe.ca
plus visit Bell.ca/security for more in depth information.
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