Important guidelines on how to stay safe on-line

Important guidelines on how to stay safe on-line

We are in the midst of perhaps the toughest challenge faced by humankind in our lifetime and we need to ensure that we do all we can to protect ourselves, our families and our communities.

One of the fallouts of the lockdown is that we are all using our home and mobile networks for socializing and learning. Home networks tend to me more vulnerable than corporate networks to cyberattacks, which are malicious attempts to damage, steal or destroy data, compromise websites, and disrupt operational infrastructure. Attackers are exploiting the situation and we have already seen an increase in phishing attacks.

Praxis Business School, PGP Cyber Security department,  recommend that you follow the following processes to minimise your vulnerability to these attacks. This should help you in continuing to use the networks at home with a much lower threat of falling prey to cyberattacks.

  1. Antivirus / Antimalware must be installed and be fully updated.
  2. The system (operating system and applications used, as well as anti-virus system) needs to be updated from legitimate sources.
  3. Do not share the virtual meeting URLs on social media or other public channels.
  4. Be particularly careful with any emails referencing the Corona virus, as these may be phishing attempts or scams. Please try to verify the authenticity of the request through other means. In case of further doubt regarding the legitimacy of an email, contact the institution’s HoD.
  5. Be suspicious of mails sent from people you know, but asking for unusual things – verify by phone if possible.
  6. Activate multi-level authentication option to all your transactional windows (email, banking portals, social media accounts, etc)
  7. Connect to the internet via secure networks; avoid open/free networks. Most WIFI systems at home might not be secured and with an insecure connection, people in the near vicinity can spoof your traffic. The solution is to activate the encryption if it hasn’t been done.
  8. Data at rest, e.g. local drives, should be encrypted (this will protect against theft / loss of the device in case of emergency movement).
  9. Please educate your other family members on how to stay safe online
  10. Lock your screen if you work in a common space, shared by your family members
  11. Check the authenticity of charity funds before donating money
  12. If you feel your security system or data is compromised, please contact your local police station.

Maintain social distance, stay home and stay safe.

 

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