Has anyone else encountered the gift card scam or perhaps the parcel scam recently? There are numerous methods scammers employ to gain access to your personal information, be it in a professional or personal context. 
This month we have partnered with Cybercy to bring you the best tips to ensure you or your business is cyber aware.
Here are 5 tips on how to be more cyber aware:
1. Secure passwords are your first line of defence. Use a password manager like LastPass to generate and remember long, complex passwords for each account. This prevents criminals reusing passwords stolen from other sites.
2. Encrypt your web traffic via VPNs like Norton Secure VPN. This stops bad guys spying on your activity on public WiFi networks. VPNs create a secure tunnel for your connection.
3. Antivirus programs like McAfee scan all files you download or open to catch malware infections before they happen. This blocks threats like viruses, ransomware, spyware from messing with your computer.
4. Two-factor authentication (2FA) adds a second step to logging in using temporary codes from apps like Microsoft Authenticator. So even if your password gets stolen, accounts stay protected (this is crucial for social media).
5. Free monitoring tools like https://haveibeenpwned.com let you check if your info was exposed in major data breaches. You can then change affected passwords to prevent fraud.
Now, some eye-opening cyber-crime stats:
Cyber crime caused a whopping $6 trillion in global damages last year!
90% of data breaches start with someone falling for a phishing email trick. Stay skeptical of weird links and attachments!
It takes companies an average 287 days to detect data breaches. That’s way too slow to limit damages!
95% of successful cyber attacks involve some sort of human error. But we can get better with education!
And a couple common myths:
Myth: Complex passwords are un-hackable.
Reality: Hackers now use powerful brute-force tools to crack even lengthy passwords. 2FA provides an extra layer of protection.
Myth: Antivirus gives you complete protection online.
Reality: You need layered security – firewalls, VPNs, system updates, secure backups, and cybersecurity training.
