This week is Stay Smart Online Week.
The Stay Smart Online website emphasised the importance of Stay Smart Online Week by revealing that in 2016, Australians lost a total of $48 million to online scams and more than a quarter of Australians have been the victim of identity theft.
This year’s theme for Stay Smart Online Week is ‘Simple Steps to Online Safety’. Describing the theme, the Stay Smart Online website emphasises that protecting yourself online “has never been more important…whether you are an individual or a small business.”
The Stay Smart Online website also provides simple steps through a series of videos for protecting yourself online. These steps are: limiting what you share, creating strong passwords, protecting yourself online through software updates and anti-virus software as well as through backing up, and learning how to avoid online scams. There are also two videos providing advice to business owners on how to protect their business, and what to do if you are the victim of a cyber crime.
In regards to limiting what you share, this video recommends being proactive in managing privacy and security settings on online accounts and apps.
In regards to creating strong passwords, this video recommends using a password manager to keep track of accounts and using multi-factor authentication (e.g. a pin code) wherever possible.
In regards to protecting yourself online through software updates and anti-virus software, as well as backing up, this video recommends making sure that updating, backing up and scanning for malicious software happens regularly.
In regards to learning how to avoid online scams, this video emphasises the importance of never opening attachments or clicking on links unless its legitimacy is confirmed.
In regards to the video providing advice to business owners on how to protect their business, this video stated that 43% of cyber attacks are actually targeted against small businesses, and emphasises to keep software up-to-date, install anti-virus software, regularly back-up data and train staff on identifying malicious websites and emails.
In regards to the video providing advice on what to do if you are the victim of a cyber crime, this video lists the organisations to contact to gain support and report scams and cyber crimes to.
There is also a new online tool which, according to the Stay Smart Online website, “allows people to open a website and within a few clicks get advice on how to address their cyber security issue.”
Stay Smart Online Week kicked off on Monday and concludes tomorrow, more information can be found here.
Image via Pixabay.