10 silly things you do online that are putting you in danger!

You may not be someone who takes risks. You may be someone who follows all the rules, you pay your bills on time, you always wear your seatbelt and you even put on sunblock when it’s a cloudy day.

But do you follow all the rules when you’re online? Are you exposing yourself and your money to the dangers that lurk on the internet? Here are 10 silly things that you might be doing that put you at risk!

1. You just assume that online banking websites are safe. Cybercriminals will go where your money goes, so going to a fake banking site and not noticing before you put in your private login details and password can easily lead to cyber theft.

2. You’re doing your online shopping in shady places. You see a great deal online, but you need to be cautious before you visit just any online shop and click “Add to Cart.” Always enter the URL directly and make sure the site is reliable and well-known.

3. You use the same password for everything. If you’re not taking the time to think of unique, different passwords for all your accounts then cybercriminals will have no trouble stealing your money. Each one of your passwords should be a minimum of 12 characters and include upper class and lower class letters, at least one number and a special character.

4. You don’t know who your friends are. It might make you feel cool to be friends with everyone from your hometown, but it is always advised to be cautious when accepting just any friend request on Facebook. Do not accept anyone you don’t know personally!

5. You never question anything. You should always be on alert when you go online and question how legit the websites are when you visit them, you could potentially lose money and private data. Never click on ads and links from suspicious emails or SMS messages.

6. You’re being too open. You might just think it’s a Facebook post, but when you include personal details such as your address, school, place of work or family history then you’re giving cybercriminals clues to gain your passwords.

7. You never bother to read the fine print. Nobody enjoys reading the Terms and Conditions that is why online businesses know they can take advantage and sneak some things past you. Do not accept the Ts and Cs without reading them or you could be giving away your online privacy.

8. You do your shopping and banking using public Wi-Fi. Cybercriminals love to use public Wi-Fi hotspots to trick you into connecting to a malicious network. Always be wary of public Wi-Fi links and make sure your network is completely secure – your best bet is to just use your data connection for important transactions!

9. You jailbreak your mobile devices. By jailbreaking your device you are doing more than adding features, you are taking away vital protections and inviting cybercriminals to hack your smartphone or tablet. Avoid jailbreaks, third party download sites and suspicious apps.

10. You don’t know what your kids are doing online. If you have children you should always know what websites they are visiting as well as what social media networks they are using. The internet is going to be a part of their life whether you like it or not, so help them learn about cyberbullying and online etiquette.

Are you exposing yourself as well as your private data to the dangerous cybercriminals that lurk online? If so, be sure to take the right steps to avoid making these silly mistakes. 

Should you need any assistance or have any questions please contact the OSINT | Open Source Intelligence Division or Digital Forensics on 021 110 0422 or email contact@osint.co.za additionally you can take a look at the website www.osint.co.za | www.tcgforensics.co.za