The future of the Internet may truly be uncertain as stated by some experts.
Just a few days ago, in many parts of the world, people experienced problems connecting to various websites. This was said to be the biggest attack on the Internet.
Could you have imagined that a mere quarrel between two organisations (Spamhaus and Cyberbunker) would cause the Internet to slow down considerably for a day or two in many countries?
According to the reports, Cyberbunker sent a massive DDoS attack (this will be explained in the concluding part) at 300 gigabits per second to Spamhaus – a Geneva-based spam fighting group because the latter blacklisted it.
This again shows that the issue of cybercrime and cyber-security should be taken more seriously. We can no longer pretend that it doesn't exist.
The big question is, what can you do as an individual to protect yourself from cybercriminals?
Here are a few steps to help you.
- Keep personal information off your system.
Most people make the mistake of saving passwords, bank account details and other personal information on their personal computers or smart phone devices. This is dangerous because if anyone hacks into your computer, they will have all the information for identity theft.
Also, never give out personal details on websites such as Facebook and Twitter. These are your date of birth, mobile phone numbers, name of children's schools, your address, etc. This vital information can become tools in the hands of a potential hacker.
Lastpass (mentioned in the tools section) would securely save your passwords and account details in the cloud.
- Use alpha-numeric passwords
A lot of people use the same passwords for all their accounts. This is convenient for most people, but it is potentially dangerous because if one account is hacked into, others definitely become easy prey. Use difficult and varied passwords. In fact, when choosing password for any website, use a combination of letters, numbers and special characters to make them as secure as possible. Never use the same password twice or even write them down. Again, lastpass comes in very useful here.
- Anti-virus and anti-malware software
Always protect your computer with not just anti-virus software but also anti-malware. This is because they are critical for improved online security against marauding viruses.
You may also add a Firewall, which hides your system from hackers; it is also a good way of avoiding cyber attacks but again this will depend on the configuration of your system.
Be wary of unknown online products offering anti-virus software. They can be viruses posing as software; and when downloaded, they will infect your computer.
- Spam filters
Most email providers now offer spam-filtering software as barricade against viruses. Oftentimes, viruses infiltrate your computer through spam and email attachments. Never click on any link directly from your email or download anything from the Internet if you're not sure of the source. This could be another way viruses can break into your system. It doesn't matter if such attachments are from friends or well-wishers. If you're not sure, delete.
- Shop on trusted websites only:
E-Commerce is growing in Nigeria. At the last count, there were well over 60 e-commerce websites doing business here.
More people will eventually make purchases online and so care must be taken so that you do not fall into a hackers' hand by shopping on their websites.
Remember most e-commerce sites require you to create an account and also enter your payment information; so be careful.
The Chief Technology Officer, AVG Technologies, Yuval Ben-Itzhak, told Yahoo! News, "Cybercriminals are increasingly targeting the man on the street, not just to cause a nuisance but to actually steal money or identities."
Ben-Itzhak stressed that "instead of being individual hackers, they [now] operate as criminal organisations, stealing millions of pounds from unsuspecting consumers."
It is clear that the future of the Internet is hinged on how the good guys can continually defeat the bad guys.
Watch out for the concluding part that looks at ways organisations can protect themselves and their web properties from cybercriminals.
