2 How to protect yourself
Cybercrime is a term that refers to criminal acts perpetrated on computers or via the internet. In October 2015 TalkTalk, a phone and broadband provider, fell victim to a cyber-attack in which personal and banking details were breached. Their chief executive, Dido Harding, responded to the attack by saying that ‘cybercrime is the crime of our generation’ (BBC News, 2015).
At the beginning of the week, you were asked to note down how you felt about online safety. You may have expressed concerns about your personal data being taken, or you may have been worried about viruses on your own computer. Using strong passwords and two-factor authentication are good first steps towards protecting yourself, but there are other measures you can put in place to improve your confidence when exploring the internet.
There are a number of reliable websites that provide advice on how you can stay safe and teach you what to do if you do fall victim to cybercrime.
- Get Safe Online [Tip: hold Ctrl and click a link to open it in a new tab. (Hide tip)] is the UK’s leading source of unbiased, factual and easy-to-understand information on online safety.
- Internet security: Staying safe online – document from Age UK
- Guide to internet security from Digital Unite.
- Online safety guidance from the National Crime Agency.
- Reliable information about current scams and hoaxes at Hoax slayer.
Although Age UK and Digital unite are primarily aimed at older people, the advice they provide does apply to everyone.
Knowing how to protect yourself online is one step towards improving your digital well-being. The next section looks at this in more detail.
Over the next few sections, you will be finding out how to protect yourself in four different areas. As you read through, use your Digital plan to make a note of any advice or websites that will be useful to you, either now or in the future.