How to shop safely online: advice from a cybersecurity expert
Kyiv • UNN
Russian hackers are intensifying attacks on Ukrainians. An expert explained how to protect yourself from phishing and fraud during online shopping and using email.
Russian hacker groups are improving their tactics and trying to scale up cyber operations against Ukraine. At the same time, Ukrainians face risks online every day when shopping online. How to protect yourself from phishing attacks and not fall for scammers, UNN was told by Uldis Libietis, IT security manager at the Latvian company Tet.lv.
How to shop safely online?
As Libietis explains, the most common fraud on the Internet, which ordinary Internet users are most "hooked" on, is phishing.
Phishing is when fraudulent emails are distributed asking you to clarify your address, specify the recipient, enter some other data.
One careless answer, and your personal data will be obtained by a scammer. Cyber fraudsters are very good at creating a sense of anxiety, urgency, playing on feelings, thereby forcing us to act very quickly and imprudently, and not to weigh and carefully assess the consequences of actions," - explains the expert.
"Any email that contains a link inviting you to click on it to enter a code, identification number, bank card number, passport number or other document, or other data, is already a red flag - you should definitely not do this," Libietis added.
Also, you should never react quickly to the word "Sale".
Any email with a call to action - such as "Last items at this price" or "Offer valid for only half an hour" - should be treated with suspicion. Also, you should think twice if the offer sounds too good to be true.
"If you receive such an email, you need to check whether the information is true, check the official websites of stores, the sender's address, pay attention to the domain name. To do this, the main thing is to stop and think before clicking on the "buy" button in the email. Because you can spend money, get nothing, and "leak" your personal data to scammers," Libietis said.
How to use email safely
When using email and social networks, follow simple rules:
- do not open suspicious emails and attachments, do not click on dubious links in social networks;
- do not take unfamiliar "tests" or "surveys" - you can provide your information without even knowing it;
- check the sender's address when you receive a message or email;
- especially carefully check emails about financial transactions;
- set up a spam filter in your email and be careful about emails that the mail server marks as "dangerous";
- do not tell anyone your data, especially passport and financial data.
Other tips
It is also important to follow a few more rules:
- update the software, antiviruses and other programs you use;
Be sure to use licensed software. Most cyber incidents occur due to overdue software, to which fraudsters find "keys"
- do not use public WiFi networks, or at least do NOT use them for transferring critical and valuable data;
- use complex passwords that are difficult to guess, and password manager programs to manage passwords. Change your password in time if it appears in the databases of "leaked" passwords;
- do not store passwords, payment data, other critical data about yourself in browser profiles, online stores, etc., and especially when using NOT personal computers or gadgets.
Let us remind you
Earlier, the Government Computer Emergency Response Team CERT-UA shared the most common mistakes users make that cause repeated hacking of previously attacked networks.
