Zuzanna Kościuk Internet Security Risks

The internet is a very big part of our lives. We use social media, do online shopping, send emails and even study with the help of the web. Those normal actions can make us forget about very real security riskssecurity risks [security risk]security risks. Cybercrime is a bigger threatthreatthreat than ever. To stay safe, you first need to understand it. What are the most common internet fraudsinternet frauds [internet fraud]internet frauds and how do they work?

Most often, internet users deal with scamsscams [scam]scams. A scam is any action online when someone tries to take advantagetake advantage of someone/somethingtake advantage of others, usually to get money. For example, many scammersscammers [scammer]scammers use quick‑money promisesquick‑money promises [quick‑money promise]quick‑money promises such as job offers that require no effort but promise a huge salary. Once the victim fills out routine paperworkroutine paperworkroutine paperwork, the scammers steal their datadatadata. Another popular scam harms online shoppers. Scammers sell things that are faultyfaultyfaulty or don’t exist at all. People pay, but never get the product.

PhishingphishingPhishing is one of the most dangerous forms of scam. In short, it’s when people use emails or text messages to get someone’s sensitive information. For example, the targettargettarget gets an email that may look like something from one’s bank or employer. In other words, it looks legitimate. The message seems temptingtemptingtempting but also urgenturgenturgent. It may promise things that seem too good to be true. At the end of the email, there’s a link or an attachmentattachmentattachment. When the target clicks on it, he or she may become the victim of identity theftidentity theftidentity theft. The attackers may use the information to accessaccess (verb)access important accounts or steal money from the victim.

Many cybercriminalscybercriminals [cybercriminal]cybercriminals use malwaremalware (malicious software)malware to take advantage of people. We call it ransomware attacks.ransomware attacks [ransomware attack]ransomware attacks. A person clicks on a pop‑up adpop‑up adpop‑up ad or opens a link from an unknown sourceunknown sourceunknown source and malware gets installed on their computer or mobile device. Once the attackers get access to sensitive informationsensitive informationsensitive information (such as financial recordsfinancial recordsfinancial records), they promise to release it or not use it if their victim pays a ransomransomransom. Unfortunately, the statistics show that even if someone pays the ransom, they don’t get their data back. The information can still be used against them.

It’s important to remember that you’re never fully safe online. That’s why you should educate yourself and take steps to protect your sensitive information from danger. If you do that, no scammer will be a threat to you.

1 Źródło: Zuzanna Kościuk, licencja: CC BY-SA 3.0.