Skip to main content

Internet Safety Myths

There are many myths surrounding Internet Safety and we'll be talking about them as a series of articles to dispel it. All in hopes to help bring in better internet usage habits for every Filipino. First an overview and later on, a separate article for each of the myths.

3 Common Myths

I wouldn't be targeted.

That mindset is simply wrong. Just because you're not the target doesn't mean you are not affected.

A lot of security breaches and data leak online is about some other person being targeted but often always, thousands if not millions of personal account gets collected together with the intended target. And where do you think the excess data will end up? It'll end up in an online market of personal information where slowly things about you can be put together enough to steal your identity, commit fraud in your name, and/or completely wipe your lifetime savings away.

I have Anti-Virus and Firewall

Yes, it can protect you from viruses, malware, and help mitigate attacks on your personal computers. Unfortunately, there are certain attacks that does not require the use of viruses, trojan, and malware. A good phishing attack can easily gather the needed from you without you even noticing anything.

I use Mac or Linux because it's by default secure

If you haven't noticed the prevailing counter reason why there are myths, it's because the causes of data breaches is not necessarily the technical problem or vulnerability of the system. It's the attack engineered against the target or an individual whose computer usage habits can be taken advantaged of.

We'll be writing about actual cases of successful attacks because of prevailing Internet Safety myth. If you would like to know more, do subscribe and follow our blog.

If you think a user's habit is not important when assessing myths and vulnerability, do write down your thoughts in the comment section.

Comments

Popular Posts

Protect Personal Information - Present and Future Value

Dear Mothers, We understand you are proud of your child. You can shout to the world that you are but please do not share your child's personal information online.

Cryptocurrency 101 - Understanding the Terminologies & Underlying Technology - Part I

Initial Coin Offerings are for the most part, scams. Bitcoin is at its all time high despite the correction . And scammers who rely on the technical nature of cryptocurrency are very much borrowing the financial market's terminologies and intimidating decent and hard-working people to "invest" into it while they can afford it. There will be technical terms in this post and I'll try to use analogies that'll make them easier to understand. So, technical and semi-technical friends, do not chime-in correcting the analogies, we can do that over coffee or beer if you prefer - your treat if we do. Readers, the analogies is meant to be simple not because I think you will not be able to understand the technical aspects of it. I simply didn't see enough post using simple and real world analogies with all the buzz going around about cryptocurrency. Cryptocurrency - it is a "currency" based on a crypto. Crypto means secret or hidden. Currency is a ...