Fake, scammy, spammy chatbots are here. Here are 10 ways to help protect yourself while shopping, chatting and living your online life.
ChatGPT has captured the world’s attention with its ability to write poems, craft short stories, and answer questions with uncanny human-likeness.
The other side of the coin, however, is that bad actors can also use ChatGPT to create deepfake chatbots. These can be used to scam people by impersonating humans and legitimate institutions like banks or credit operators. That makes it harder than ever for people to tell what’s real and what’s a threat on their own.
With cybercrime continuing to evolve, cybersecurity company Norton recommends getting back to the basics and gave us these tips about how we can protect ourselves online.
- Be sceptical of anything you read online
In the coming months and years, we will start to see more AI-generated content online, against the backdrop of existing fake news and misinformation. It will be even more crucial to be sceptical and think critically of anything you read or see on the internet, or messages on your phone. Utilise independent fact checking resources to verify the truthfulness of news stories or messages.
- Be smart with your financial information online
Be mindful of where you enter information like your credit card number online. Before you purchase anything on a website, ensure that the website’s URL starts with “https://.” The “s” at the end is critical, because it indicates that your connection is encrypted. Don’t purchase anything from a website that doesn’t have this.
- Protect your privacy, especially on social media
Keep your personal and private information locked down. Social engineering cybercriminals can often get your personal information with just a few data points, so the less you share publicly, the better. For instance, if you post your pet’s name or reveal your mother’s maiden name, you might expose the answers to two common security questions.
- Keep your software up to date
If you don’t have your security software, web browsers, and devices set to update automatically, turn on those automatic updates now. Cybercriminals frequently use known exploits, or flaws, in your software to gain access to your system. Patching those exploits and flaws can make it less likely that you’ll become a cybercrime target.
- Don’t open email from strangers
If you get a phishing email with malware attached, you don’t have to download the attachment for it to do damage to your home network. That’s because drive-by downloads can install malware on your hard drive without you even agreeing to download them. For this reason, it’s a good idea to refrain from opening any emails from addresses you don’t know.
- Use strong passwords
Using strong passwords is a basic but essential step. Don’t use passwords that are easy to guess. Rather, ensure they are complex, combining at least 10 letters, numbers, and symbols—and don’t repeat passwords on different websites. An abbreviated sentence, or passphrase, is often better than a single word with numbers and symbols inserted. To simplify the process, use a password management app to generate and store your passwords for you.
- Use multi-factor authentication
Multi-factor authentication requires you to verify your identity after you’ve logged in using your username and password, usually by entering a code sent by text to your phone or by email. Whenever multi-factor authentication is available, opt in. It may take you a couple of extra seconds to log in to your accounts, but it can make it less likely that other people will be able to log into your accounts, too.
- Avoid using unsecured public Wi-Fi
If possible, try to avoid accessing unsecured public Wi-Fi on your devices. Using it can make you vulnerable to predatory practices. And if you must use it, avoid entering compromising information, such as any financial information, on any websites. Better yet, use a VPN, or virtual private network, to do your browsing when you’re not at home. This will encrypt the data you send and receive, making it much harder to intercept.
- Back up your data regularly
If you become a victim of malware, such as ransomware, you might not be able to get your data back. That is, unless you’ve backed up your data. When you back up your data, you can make certain kinds of security breaches less problematic. If a hacker encrypts your data and demands a ransom to unencrypt it, it’s not going to be that big of a deal if you backed it up a week ago.
- Use a full-service internet security suite
It’s a good idea to consider trusted security software like Norton 360 Premium, which provides all-in-one protection for your devices, online privacy, and identity, and helps protect your private and financial information when you go online.
