The information superhighway that is the internet has grown to vast proportions. But the highway is also increasingly riddled with cracks and dangerous potholes. 2014 witnessed lots of significant breaches, ranging from a $40m cyber-heist by a Nigerian bank IT worker to the huge data leakage at Sony, in November.
It’s not just companies that should be worried. If you are reading this, then staying safe online definitely concerns you (seeing as you are on the internet). Warnings to take precautions on the internet might seem trite, but no one is above the periodic reminder of the common mistakes that could compromise one’s security on the internet.
Beware of the Bank Verification Number (BVN) Scam
The ongoing Bank Verification Number (BVN) introduced by the CBN as a means of uniquely identifying bank customers across the Nigerian Banking industry is being used by cyber criminals to defraud unsuspecting bank customers. Scam emails purportedly sent from Banks/CBN are in circulation urging bank customers to visit a website to activate their BVN online as failure to do so would result in their account(s) and debit cards being deactivated.
Please note that BVN registration can only be done physically at a bank’s branch. There is no technology now to replace the physical capture of your biometric data which the BVN seeks to achieve.
Do NOT access your accounts from Public WIFi
Just because a WiFi is free doesn’t mean you should connect to it any time it’s available. When you’re banking or making other online payments, it’s better to connect with EDGE or 3G, even if it’s slower. It might only be 45 seconds of doing an online bank transaction, but if the wireless network has been compromised, that is more than enough time needed for a cyber-criminal to collect your data.
Use a secure password
It’s crucial to always use strong passwords as passwords are the first line of defense against cyber crooks. Try not to use names of your family, pets, first car, mother’s maiden name, etc. as all these can be easily guessed, brute forced or even available on social media sites like facebook, twitter or instagram. Make sure to use a mixture of characters, numbers, and letters of at least 8 characters when choosing your password; as only this will add a high level of difficulty for any attempted password theft.
Also, do not reuse your passwords across various accounts, as a compromise on one would translate to a compromise on all.
Stay safe on social networking sites
Social media sites are increasingly becoming targets for scams, phishing, catfishing and other types of online attacks. Asides mining data from tons of “status updates” for targeted attacks, cyber criminals have mastered the act of baiting unsuspecting users with well-crafted short but compelling posts offering free entry to a competition with a fantastic prize.
The general rule is “there is no free lunch or freebies on the internet – if you’re not buying a product then you are the product”. Users who click the links then inadvertently act as accomplices to the cyber-criminals because the malicious scripts would automatically re-post the links, images or videos on their contacts’ walls or timelines. If an offer looks too good to be true, it probably is. Do NOT click.
Protect yourself from fraudulent emails
If you receive an email urging you to download an unknown tax payment attachment or an email informing you of an urgent pending transaction and you need to login with your details to verify, DELETE that email. Such emails usually trick users into visiting the site, and once you do, viruses and spywares get downloaded on your device which automatically joins you to a network of enslaved computers that have been programmed to carry out malicious deeds. No reputable organization would send emails to collect user names, passwords, token keys or Debit/Credit card details.
The threats to your online accounts increase daily, however, the tips above can help you stay protected online while still providing the convenience online access offers you.
Rotimi Akinyele is a security expert. He writes from Lagos, Nigeria.
Image via Compfight cc
