Page 20 - AeM_May_2017

BEST PRACTICES & STRATEGIES

Protect yourself:

Recent WannaCryptor ransomware worm

puts a spotlight on cybersecurity

Though a worldwide problem, far too many citizens, busi- Keep yourself safe by carefully checking the recipient,
nesses and governments are still making the same old, the request, and use some common sense – search via
basic security mistakes, ESET noticed, which explains Google rather than using the enclosed website ad-
why cybercrime has quickly become a major problem for dress. Also, be cautious of attachments, as they may
businesses, governments and citizens all over the globe. be malware-infected. It's important to check file exten-
sions and to only open files deemed safe and from le-
“While awareness of this multifaceted threat is increas- gitimate sources.
ing, we're still making the same mistakes when it comes
to cybersecurity, as a recent study by the Pew Research Social media: New hunting ground
Center found”, ESET researchers highlighted, pointing
out the following areas to be aware of: Social media has become the go-to-market for cyber-
criminals eager to compromise people. It's no surprise,
Email: This ruse is nothing new as many users still fail to adequately look after their
social networks (for example, a 2016 survey showed
Social engineering tactics are as old as the day is long, that 58% of people do not know how to update their
yet people keep falling for them. Today, phishing via privacy settings).
email has become incredibly commonplace.
As with email, always check the authenticity of the
Although criminals are improving the 'quality' of these sender (do they look credible?), the message and the
emails, with some targeted – known as spear phishing – link (which will likely be shortened). Beware of trending
emails, some looking incredibly authentic, but most do hashtags too as many are now using them to trap un-
not (telltale signs include poor spelling, random email suspecting Twitter and Facebook users trying to catch-
addresses and far-fetched claims that you've won mil- up with the latest breaking news.
lions).

20 May 2017 - (Cyber) Security & Data Protection