Filipinos vulnerable to cyber attacks | Lifestyle.INQ

OCTOBER 27, 2022

The bad news is, there is no real cure for phishing or cyber attacks by hackers attempting to get sensitive personal information, says Kaspersky Lab, a global cybersecurity company. It is easy for anyone to get infected by malicious software or malware.

But just because there is no cure, it does not mean you are totally helpless. Kaspersky Lab says Internet users should have “paranoia-level vigilance.” When you go online, keep in mind that criminals are also logged in, lurking and waiting for a chance to invade your privacy.

Kaspersky Lab offers 10 tips on how people can better protect themselves online:

Always check the link before opening it. If it has some spelling issues, do a double-take. Fraudsters may be trying to push a fake page.

Enter your username and password only when connection is secure. If you see the “https” prefix before the site URL, it means that everything is OK. If there is no “s” (secure) in the prefix, then beware.

Remain cautious in any situation, even if a message or letter comes from a good friend. Remember, they could also have been fooled or hacked.

E-mails from official organizations, such as banks, tax agencies, online shops, travel agencies, airlines, even from your own office, should also be treated with caution. It is not that hard to fabricate a fake letter that looks like a real one.

E-mails and websites may look like real ones. But hyperlinks, most likely, will be incorrect with spelling mistakes, or they can direct you to a different place. Look for these tokens to tell a reliable site from a fraud.

It is better not to follow links in such letters. Instead, open a new window and enter the URL of your banks or online shop manually.

Report

When you discover a phishing attempt, report it to the bank or the office/agency that supposedly sent the e-mail, or to the support desk of your social media network (if malicious links are sent by a user).

It is not advisable to log in to online banks and services via public WiFi networks. It is better to use mobile connection, or to wait until you have a secure connection. Networks can be created by fraudsters, who spoof website addresses to direct you to a fake page.

Files sent by your massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) comrades may be malicious ransomware or even spyware, just like attachments to messages and e-mails. Be vigilant!

Install a reliable Internet security solution and follow its recommendations.

Kaspersky Lab says most Filipino netizens are at risk because they are not cyber-savvy. In a survey, Kaspersky Lab found that Filipino Internet users commit mistakes that make them vulnerable to hackers.

The survey found that “almost half of respondents from the Philippines were not able to identify the cyberthreats they encountered…”

A harmful online habit of nearly half of Filipino Internet users, the survey found, was keeping applications they did not use, even those unused for a long time. “The Philippines ranked the worst in this category among the 16 countries included in the survey,” Kaspersky said.

Anthony Chua, Kaspersky Lab security expert and territory channel manager for the Philippines and Singapore, pointed out: “This seemingly little mistake can serve as an accessible entry for cybercriminals looking for prey.”

Old software have outdated programs that cybercriminals can easily exploit.

Majority of Filipino Internet users, the survey found, were vulnerable to phishing attacks, since only 11 percent, or one out of 10 netizens, could identify a safe web page.

Some 72 percent of Filipino respondents could not distinguish between a phishing page and a real Facebook page.

Send letters to The Consumer, Lifestyle Section, Philippine Daily Inquirer, 1098 Chino Roces Ave. cor. Mascardo and Yague Sts., 1204 Makati City; fax no. 8974793/94; or e-mail [email protected].

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