There are some mums who know more about the internet, online shopping and social media than their kids and some who have no idea when it comes to the internet. But even the most technological advanced person can’t always spot a scam or will post information online that they shouldn’t.
Whether you got your mum a phone, a tablet or she just wants to share her photos with her friends and family on her special day, you should remind her of the dangers of being online and how to stay safe in the face of cyber criminals.
It’s not unusual for people to get attacked online and cyber criminals are constantly coming up with new and more sophisticated ways to fool people with online scams.
Read our top tips on how to keep your mother safe this Mother’s Day and beyond!
If you lock your front door you should lock all your devices
You should always lock any devices you use. There’s a lot of information on there that criminals could find useful, so whether you’re in a public place, or even in the office, get into the habit of CTR + ALT + DEL or clicking down your lock button on your phone or tablet. You should also have this protected with a passcode so only you can gain access.
Use strong passwords
If you’re using the same password for all your logins, someone could gain access to one of your accounts, and then they would be able to access all your other accounts as well. Have separate passwords for every account and make sure to use a mixture of upper and lower case letters along with numbers and special characters.
Check the SSL Certificate
Look at the URL of the website. If it begins with “https” instead of “http” it means the site is secured using an SSL Certificate (the s stands for secure). SSL Certificates secure all your data as it is passed from your browser to the website’s server. To get an SSL Certificate, the company must go through a validation process so in simpler terms, this means it’s safe.
Be careful responding to emails
Ignore emails that require you to respond urgently, such as a problem with your bank account or taxes. This type of message is likely a scam known as ‘phishing.’ This is a technique in which you click a link or download an attachment in an email which looks legitimate and may even take you to what you think is a trustworthy website and prompt you to enter your personal details. However, these details will be sent to hackers instead, so make sure to examine every website before you enter any details online.
Be careful what you share
What you post online lasts forever, so if you wouldn’t say it to someone in person, you shouldn’t say it online. Sometimes we can feel protected by a screen, but it is still very much the real world. You could be revealing information about yourself without even realising. Keep all confidential information to yourself because cybercriminals can use this information to log into your accounts and steal from you.
Keep your software updated
You know those software updates that keep popping up on your screen? Well updating this software is extremely important. When cybercriminals discover new ways to steal your data, companies usually work quickly to release fixes for those vulnerabilities. But it’s up to us to install these updates.
If you want to keep up to date with the latest cyber security tips, tricks and advice, follow MetaCompliance on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
