June: Internet safety month
Posted on June 1, 2023
Do you feel safe online? In that case, you are not alone. According to statistics, more and more people are becoming concerned about how much personal information is shared and exposed online. Every app we download, every social media platform we join, and every website we visit collects data about us.
Almost 4.66 billion people are active Internet users as of October 2020.
With such a large number of people connected to the internet, it is essential to be aware of the risks that come with it and to take the necessary steps to protect oneself.
An estimated 59% of all young people aged 15 - 25 have experienced cyberbullying.
This highlights the need for greater awareness and education about the dangers of the internet, and the importance of taking steps to protect young people from the potential harms of cyberbullying.
Phishing attacks account for over 80% of reported security incidents.
The majority of reported security incidents are due to phishing, and users should take extra precautions to protect themselves from these malicious attacks.
There is a hacker attack every 39 seconds on average, affecting one in three Americans each year.
It spotlights the need for individuals to be aware of the dangers of the internet and to take steps to protect themselves from malicious attacks. It also serves as a warning to businesses and organizations to invest in robust security measures to protect their data and systems from malicious actors.
Resource: https://explodingtopics.com/blog/data-privacy-stats
Online safety is essential. You can use strategies and tactics to increase your self-protectiveness and be more proactive:
- Passwords: Always use complicated passwords, and avoid using the same password for many accounts. It's impossible for anyone to remember all their passwords, so choosing the correct password manager is essential. There are a lot of options available for you to consider. Learn the 6 tips for secure passwords.
- MFA: The second verification method swiftly gained popularity as the epidemic spread over the world and our lives abruptly became entirely online. Multi-factor authentication was introduced as a second verification method for accessing online systems as internet security became our top concern. These days, the majority of our internet transactions take this into account. Learn about MFA as a student or faculty/staff member.
- Phishing: The simplest way for hackers to access your system, take your data, or manipulate your online persona is still through phishing. Learn to recognize phishing emails.
- Social media: Normally, we don't give our social media comments, status updates, or image posting much consideration. But remember that nothing you upload disappears from the internet after you delete it. So, before publishing or posting any information, give it some thought. Learn 8 things to remember on social media.
