Since 2004, 8 February has been the international day of awareness on the risks associated with the use of the Internet. Now that the technologies are within everyone’s reach, it is essential to know how to recognize the main scams and traps you could fall into while surfing the Web or using telematic tools. This is one of the objectives of Safer Internet Day: the world day dedicated to the positive and conscious use of the Internet.
Computer Traps
On the occasion of Safer Internet Day 2022, to promote the culture of digital security and the intended use of the Internet and new technologies, Wall Street proposes a path in 11 stages, and as many podcasts, to understand how to defend against cyberattacks, learning to recognize the most classic computer scams: from phishing attempts to malware, to data theft, from fake winnings to the ever-increasing number of scams on online trading.
In the digital era – with smart working now consolidated, dematerialized personal and professional documents stored and exchanged online and via Mobile, electronic payments and home banking entered into everyday life, presence on social networks and electronic purchases on e-commerce sites – paying attention to aspects related to IT security is essential.
More specifically, the “11 Tips To Avoid Falling Into IT Traps “will cover the following topics:
- Theft of Personal Data: Even in the face of their amount (Big Data) today, the data that travels on the net has an almost inestimable value, so they are so coveted by cybercriminals. These are precious assets for individuals and companies that must be protected. In this podcast,
- Malware: What is malware, or malicious software: a program designed to infect and cause damage to “victim” devices and consequently to their users. These programs travel on the Internet, but not only, as Wall Street explains in this podcast, offering valuable tips to avoid them.
- Ransomware: Among the less known but no less common scams. It is a malicious computer program that can block the device or encrypt it to make the files and data inside it inaccessible. To “free” the device, you are asked to pay a ransom (in English, “ransom”). All the details are explained throughout the podcast.
- Phishing: Among the oldest scams, best known and implemented by cybercriminals, they are also the traps that most often fall into. These are messages sent by authorities and companies deemed reliable, sent by malicious people, to obtain sensitive information, such as bank details on how to avoid falling into these traps and the consequent economic repercussions they can have.
- Sextortion: A cyber threat has become more frequent with the spread of social networks. The goal is to extort money from victims through sexual blackmail on social networks and fake threatening emails.
- Sentimental Scams: These are traps into which, unfortunately, many people still fall. With this podcast, you acquire the necessary knowledge to understand how to defend yourself from those who pretend to be interested in a romantic relationship on social media or online dating sites for ulterior motives.
- Scams Del Capo: As the name suggests, this scam targets the “bosses,” i.e., the executives, managers, or employees authorized to make payments. The goal of cybercriminals is to trick them into paying a fake invoice or creating an unauthorized transfer of money from the corporate account.
- Counterfeit Banking Websites: These sites are specially built to look utterly identical to the originals and reliable. They almost always have pop-up windows in which to enter banking credentials. Windows that are never present on the official websites of banks. And this is already the first clue to understanding that we are not on the right site.
- Sim Swap: This scam allows the attacker to have access to the phone number of the rightful owner, convincing the telephone company to move the number to a new sim. In this way, the cybercriminal manages to violate the victim’s privacy, even by intercepting the SMS sent by the bank to operate on his bank account. This podcast explains how to defend against and prevent Sim Swap.
- Money Muling: A money mule is a person who transfers illegally obtained money between different payment accounts, often in different countries, on behalf of others. Money mules are also recruited by criminals to receive money into their bank account, withdraw it and transfer it overseas to pay a commission for the service provided.
- Online Shopping Scams: Online purchases are now commonplace, so we must be cautious about the scams they can hide.