How to avoid online scams and attacks ?

Oct Mon 2025 01:09:29

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The fear of scams is on the minds of many these days. When making online payments or clicking on any link, there is a risk of losing money in your bank account or becoming a victim of a scam.

Gone phishing

One of the most common attacks we see are what we call “phishing” attacks (pronounced like fishing). This is when an attacker contacts you pretending to be somebody you know or an organization you trust, and tries to get you to give them personal information or open a malicious website or file.

Most phishing attempts arrive via email, but they can also come via text messages, direct messages on social media, or even phone calls (what we call "Vishing"). What they all have in common are:

Malware

Malware is malicious software and is sometimes referred to as a "virus". It can be designed to do many different things including stealing your personal data, identity theft, using your device to quietly attack other machines, using your computer’s resources to mine cryptocurrency, or any number of other malicious tasks.

There are a few ways your machine can get infected with malware but the most common ways are by opening a malicious file attachment, or downloading and opening a file from an unsafe website.

One type of malware that is common today is called “Ransomware.” This is a particular kind of malware that encrypts your files then demands you pay the attackers to unlock the files so that you can access them. Increasingly ransomware also tries to steal your data so that the attackers can also threaten to release your files publicly if you don’t pay them the ransom.

Some small but regular habits help you avoid hackers. Today, we are giving information about what those small habits are.

Adopt two-factor authentication

Make a habit of setting up two-factor authentication immediately when opening an account on any app or platform. This provides another layer of security to the account and prevents unauthorized access.

Make a habit of distinguishing phishing messages and emails

Check the address and company name from which the message or email came first. Never click on unknown links and do not respond directly to suspicious requests.

Check the website address while browsing

Always look at the URL to see which website you are on. Check whether the address is encrypted and enter sensitive information only after checking whether the address is encrypted.

Use a virtual private network on public Wi-Fi

Since public networks like cafes, airports, and hotels are unencrypted, using a virtual private network there secures traffic and reduces the risk of man-in-the-middle attacks.

Don't give unnecessary permissions to apps

Practice minimum privileges and give apps only the permissions they need. Give the Maps app location access only when necessary, and give photo editors photo access only. Adopting these habits will reduce online risks and strengthen digital security.