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It’s fun to jump on our favorite social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn and know we can quickly check in with friends and family, discover interesting content, and instantly connect with colleagues worldwide. The last thing on most of our minds when tapping our way into these familiar online communities is being the target of cybercrime.
But it’s happening more and more.
Last month, The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) described popular social media sites as “goldmines” for malicious attacks. The FTC revealed that more than one in four people who reported losing money to fraud in 2021 said it started on social media with an ad, a post, or a message. More than 95,000 people reported about $770 million in losses to fraud initiated on social media platforms in 2021. According to the FTC, those losses account for about 25 percent of all reported losses to fraud in 2021 and represent a stunning eighteenfold increase over 2017 reported losses.
The social environment is a magnet for bad actors because people of every age and country flock there each day. The constant flow of conversation and content—and more importantly, the climate of trust—makes social networks juicy targets for cybercrime.
The biggest motivation? The emerging digital security threat of cryptojacking (aka illegal cryptomining). Cryptojacking is illegally accessing another person’s computer power to mine cryptocurrency. Cybercriminals do this by getting a victim to click on a malicious link delivered via direct message, a news story, or an ad. Once clicked, that link loads crypto mining code on the victim’s computer or leads them to an infected website or online ad with JavaScript code that auto-executes once it’s loaded in the victim’s browser. Often the malware goes undetected, and the only way a victim might know their system has been compromised is that it may start performing more slowly.
While bad actors use social media platforms to distribute cryptomining malware, they also spread other malware types such as advertisements, faulty plug-ins, and apps that draw users in by offering “too good to be true” deals. Once clicked on, the malware allows cybercriminals to access data, create keyloggers, release ransomware, and monitor social media accounts for future scamming opportunities.
Be sure your kids understand the risks and responsibilities associated with device ownership. Consider putting time aside each week to discuss crucial digital literacy topics and ongoing threats such as cryptomining malware. Consider a “device check-in” that requires each person in your family to “check off” the following security guidelines.
To help protect your family devices from viruses, malware, spyware, and other digital threats entering social media sites, consider adding extra security to your family devices with McAfee Total Protection.
Avoid posting home addresses, full birth dates, employer information, school information, as well as exact location details of where you are.
Install software updates so that attackers cannot take advantage of the latest security loopholes.
Select passwords that will be difficult for bad actors to guess and use different passwords for different programs and devices.
For a virus to solve cryptographic calculations required to mine cryptocurrency requires an enormous amount of computer processing power (CPUs). Cryptojacking secretly consumes a victim’s processing power, battery life, and computer or device memory. Look out for a decline in device processing speed.
Be careful when accepting friend requests, direct messages, or clicking on links sent by someone you don’t know personally. This is one of the most popular ways cybercriminals gain access.
Be discerning even when a known friend sends you a second friend request claiming they’ve been hacked. Search known names on the platform for multiple accounts. Cybercriminals have been known to gather personal details of individuals, pose as that person, then connect with friend lists using familiar information to build trust with more potential victims.
Be sure to report any fraudulent activity you encounter on social platforms to help stop the threat from spreading to other accounts, including friends and family who may be connected back to you.
New scams and more sophisticated ways to steal data—and computer processing power for illegal cryptomining—surface daily. Staying in front of those threats and folding them into your family dynamic is one of the most powerful ways to give your kids the skills and security habits they will need to thrive in today’s digital world.
The post Social Media: How to Steer Your Family Clear of Cryptomining Malware appeared first on McAfee Blog.
Cryptocurrency has boomed in the last several years, with beginners and experts alike jumping into the industry. It’s proven now to be more than a passing hobby or trend. Cryptocurrency is a way of conducting business and making money for people around the world.
As the intrigue and interaction with crypto grows, cybercriminals are finding new ways to exploit the system. According to CNBC, a recent crypto hack resulted in the loss of over $320 million across two major blockchain networks. Here’s what you need to know about this latest breach, plus some tips on how you can protect your crypto assets.
There’s more than one kind of cryptocurrency, and many users spread out their investments across various currencies and blockchain ecosystems. To link their activities, some crypto users employ a type of bridging software that can easily connect their different accounts. Wormhole is a popular bridge that allows users to freely move their tokens and NFTs between the Solana and Ethereum blockchains.
In this recent crypto hack, a cybercriminal installed a bug that minted 120,000 fake currency on the Solana side of the Wormhole bridge. Then, the criminal transferred 120,000 counterfeit currency to the Ethereum side to claim Ethereum tokens. This resulted in the hacker gaining at least $251 million worth of Ethereum, nearly $47 million in Solana, and upwards of $4 million in USDC, a third type of cryptocurrency.
The Wormhole team offered the hacker $10 million to return the stolen currency and explain how they executed the hack. Wormhole has since tweeted that they’ve restored all stolen funds and that the system is now back to normal. Experts think they have successfully reverse-engineered the exploit and suspect that the attacker gained access through bypassing the verify signature process.
As cryptocurrencies continue to take the world by storm, it’s key that users learn how to engage with this emerging industry safely. Even though the Wormhole breach affected the crypto platforms and not individual users, this incident is a reminder to be diligent about your crypto safety. Check out these tips to help you protect your crypto investments:
Like with any process that involves investing your own, hard-earned money, you should be diligent about researching every cryptocurrency, blockchain, and accompanying software you use. Never trust your money to a product or service that you’re not completely confident in their security protocols. Keep up with national and world news and crypto-specific news outlets to stay on top of the latest security breaches and to gather tips on which system may be the safest option for you. When jumping into cryptocurrency, make sure that any benefits outweigh the risks.
As with all your online accounts, protect your cryptocurrency logins with secure, unique passwords and two-factor authentication. Never reuse passwords, since it’s possible for wily cybercriminals to buy lists of login and password combinations on the dark web. Two-factor authentication often makes it impossible for anyone to break into your account, as it requires a randomly generated passcode for entry. Passcodes are often sent by text or through a smartphone application. Sometimes it’s difficult to remember all your passwords, so consider trusting them to a password manager, such as McAfee True Key. An online account locked behind a secure password and two-factor authentication will likely frustrate a cybercriminal and cause them to move along, keeping your account safe.
Add an extra layer of protection to your crypto assets with a hardware wallet. A hardware wallet stores private keys that are necessary to unlock your blockchain accounts. This device is compatible with various blockchains and helps back up and protect your investments, even if your device is compromised by malware or a phishing attack. Hardware wallets are often protected by PINs and a passphrase, so even if the device is lost or stolen, you can feel confident in the safety of your crypto accounts.
Make it part of your weekly routine to check in on your crypto account to ensure that there are no suspicious transactions. Keep the pulse on the news, so that whenever there’s a breach, you can make a timely report of any losses you may have experienced. Also, consider changing your login credentials to be on the safe side.
The only way to enjoy your cryptocurrency experience is to be confident in it. While the Wormhole loophole was almost impossible for a casual everyday user to predict, as long as you have a contingency plan and safeguards in place, you can be confident in your crypto activities.
The post Latest Crypto Vulnerability Leaks $320 Million: 3 Tips to Boost Your Crypto Confidence appeared first on McAfee Blog.
There are very few guarantees in this world – but experiencing drama when you are a parent is a sure thing! And as a mum of 4, I’ve had my fair share. Whether it’s friendship issues, homework problems or just picking up the pieces after some bad choices – I feel like my job as a mother is most tested when I’m helping my boys navigate the tough stuff.
But after clocking up 25 years of parenting, I’ve learned one thing – when you’re in the thick of issues with your kids, being calm (even on the outside) is the best way of getting to the bottom of an issue, and helping them solve it.
Even though we may compartmentalize our lives into offline and online, our kids don’t. For them, it’s the same thing! They use their online life to set up their online activities. In fact, their online life is a critical element of their day-to-day lives. So, if a problem arises online – an embarrassing photo is shared or they make a wrong move – it can feel like their whole world is affected.
I don’t know how many times I’ve wanted to scream this from my lungs when my boys have found themselves in tricky online situations over the years. And I am sure I am not alone. When our kids come to us with an online issue, all we want to do is throw the router in the bin or cancel their phone plan. But, that, my friends, is the worst think you can do. If your kids think there is even a small chance you’ll remove their technology, then I promise you that they will never come to you with an online issue. They would much rather try and work it out themselves than threaten disconnection because their online world is their entire world.
Without a doubt, THE most important thing you can do for your kids is to guarantee that you will NOT scream, shout or disconnect them from their devices if they come to you with a problem. Even though you know it will be tough, promising them that you will remain calm will mean they are far more likely to seek your advice when things are tough. Of course, I am not suggesting that you don’t deal out punishments or introduce new rules as a result of the issue but remaining approachable is key.
Being a teenager in this digital era is completely different from the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s. So, while some of the issues your kids may experience may mirror yours, many will not. Thankfully, we didn’t have the constant pressure that social media can be when we were growing up. Some kids can rationalize the way social media works and not lose any sleep over it whereas others will find it much trickier to navigate.
So, take a minute to really understand their social media-dominated world. Many kids, understandably, struggle when comparing themselves to someone’s perfectly curated Instagram feed; feel lonely or ‘less than’ when discovering that their friends are all out (thanks to a shared pic online) but they weren’t invited; or, consumed by the number of likes their posts achieve. As the great Atticus Finch in ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ said ‘You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view … until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” So, try as hard as you can to understand how these pressures can affect their mindset.
When things are tricky and overwhelming, making a plan can help direct the angst and reduce the worry. Depending on the issue your child is having online, you may want to introduce some new rules around the time and place they can use their device. For example, if devices were not yet banned from the bedroom – this could be a good place to start. You could also insist devices are placed in a ‘charging zone’ on the kitchen bench overnight so their bedroom becomes a tech-free zone.
Additionally, if you are worried your child is experiencing concerning levels of anxiety or low mood as a result of the situation, you might want to include making an appointment with the counselor at school or an independent psychologist. Also, notifying the school may also be a helpful action point for the plan too – depending again on the nature of the issue.
If I’m being honest, being calm and chilled is probably not my natural state. I could blame it on genetics or maybe the amount of caffeine I consume but when it comes to my helping my boy with the tricky stuff, I dig deep. I channel my inner yogi and muster up all the patience and chilled vibes I can because it’s so worth it. Knowing my boys understand they can come to me about any problem – online or offline – means they know someone always has their back. And isn’t that our job as parents?
Till next time
Alex xx
The post Why Staying Calm May Be One Of The Best Ways Of Keeping Your Kids Safe Online appeared first on McAfee Blog.
There’s millions of dollars to be made in social media. For scammers.
New data from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) suggests that Americans lost nearly three-quarters of a billion dollars to social media fraud in 2021, signaling that social media may be the most profitable method of scamming victims—marking an 18-fold increase over 2017.
And that’s just cases of reported fraud.
Of the roughly 95,000 cases tallied in 2021, the actual number of reports and losses are arguably much higher because fraud victims infrequently report these crimes to the FTC or other agencies. Likewise, few take advantage of the FTC’s resources for recovering from fraud. Instead, they’ll share the sad news with family or friends if anyone at all.
Despite the rise of these online crimes, there are several things you can do to increase your awareness of social media fraud—what it looks like and how it’s pulled off—along with other ways you can prevent scammers from targeting you and the ones you care about.
Several types of social media fraud abound, yet the FTC reports that three types of scams prevail:
These often involve bogus sites that promote opportunities to mine or invest in cryptocurrencies. Rather than use these sites to trade in legitimate cryptocurrencies, scammers use these as a front to collect funds. The funds are never invested and never returned. Thanks to social media, scammers have a quick and easy way to drive victims to such bogus sites.
By starting up a chat through an unexpected friend request or a message that comes out of the blue, a scammer develops a budding romantic relationship with a victim—and eventually starts asking for money. Public social media profiles are particularly attractive to scammers because they’re loaded with information that scammers can use to win a victim’s confidence or heart.
Using ads on social media, scammers drive victims to phony online stores that will take people’s money but that don’t deliver the goods. They’re simply a way for scammers to harvest cash from unsuspecting shoppers. These sites may impersonate reputable brands and stores or they may sell bogus products altogether. Either way, victims pay and receive nothing in return.
Together, these three types of scams accounted for the overwhelming majority of losses and reports of social media fraud, which are broken down in detail as follows:
As illustrated, investment and romance scams may get reported less frequently, yet they are among the costliest scams going on social media. Meanwhile, online shopping scams on social media are far more common yet rake in fewer dollars overall.
For one, reach. Nearly half of the global population uses social media today. That translates into billions of people who can be made into potential victims. Secondly, social media provides the tools to reach those people through the otherwise legitimate services and features available to the people and businesses that use social media to connect.
In the case of investment and shopping scammers, the ad platforms are of particular use. For romance scammers, direct messaging and profile pages are potential avenues for fraud.
Scammers use the highly targeted ad platform that social media companies use to generate revenue. With millions of detailed user profiles in their data stores, social media companies put that data to work in their ad platforms allow businesses to create ads designed to reach specific age groups, hobbies and interests, past purchases, and so on. Just as easily, a scammer can use the same tools to cook up bogus ads for their bogus products, services, and sites at a relatively low cost.
For example, a scammer could target older females with an interest in investing. From there, the scammer could narrow down that target profile to those who live in areas of the country with a desired average income level, and who have shown interest in investment products before. The scammers would create an ad that takes them to phony website designed to entice that target group into purchasing a bogus product, service, or crypto. The FTC reports that the median loss for an online shopping scam in 2021 was $118, while online investment scams on social media racked up a median loss of $1,800 per victim. These stats make a strong case for sticking to reputable and established retailers and accredited financial services.
In the case of romance scammers on social media, the posts and personal profiles that form the heart of social media offer con artists a treasure trove. With a potential victim’s life a relatively open book, full of birthdays, events, interests, and activities for all to see, scammers have the hooks they need to form a phony romantic relationship online—or at least make the attempt at one.
For example, a scammer reaches out to a potential victim with a friend request. With the profile and posts this romance scammer has at hand, they can spin all manner of intriguing, yet utterly false tales designed to gain the victim’s trust. With that trust established, they can follow up with a similarly intriguing story about needing “a little help” to cover some “unexpected expenses,” often in the form of a gift card or reloadable debit card—sometimes stringing out a series of requests over time. According to the FTC, the median loss for this type of romance scam in 2021 was around $2,000 per victim.
People worldwide spend an average of 145 minutes a day on social media. And with users in the U.S. spending just over two hours on social media a day, that’s a great deal of potential exposure to scams.
Yet, whether you’re using Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or whatnot, here are several things you can do that can help keep you safe and secure out there:
Passwords mark square one in your protection, with strong and unique passwords across all your accounts forming primary line of defense. Yet with all the accounts we have floating around, juggling dozens of strong and unique passwords can feel like a task—thus the temptation to use (and re-use) simpler passwords. Hackers love this because one password can be the key to several accounts. Instead, try a password manager that can create those passwords for you and safely store them as well. Comprehensive security software will include one.
Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and others give you the option of making your profile and posts visible to friends only. Choosing this setting keeps the broader internet from seeing what you’re doing, saying, and posting, which can help protect your privacy and give a possible scammer much less material to work with.
Be critical of the invitations you receive. Out-and-out strangers could be more than just a stranger, they could be a fake account designed to gather information on users for purposes of fraud. There are plenty of fake accounts too. In fact, in Q3 of 2021 alone, Facebook took action on 1.8 billion fake accounts. Reject such requests.
We’re increasingly accustomed to the warnings about phishing emails, yet phishing attacks happen plenty on social media. The same rules apply. Don’t follow any links you get from strangers by way of instant or direct messages. And keep your personal information close. Don’t pass out your email, address, or other info as well. Even those so-called “quiz” posts and websites can be ruses designed to steal bits and pieces of personal info that can be used as the basis of an attack.
When you’re purchasing online, do some quick research on the company. How long have they been around? Have any complaints been recorded by your attorney general or local consumer protection agency? When you meet someone new, do a reverse image search on their profile pic to see where else it appears. Look up their name in search as well. If the results you find don’t match up with the person’s story, it may be a sign of a scam.
Online protection software can protect you from clicking on malicious links while on social media while steering you clear of other threats like viruses, ransomware, and phishing attacks. It can look out for you as well, by protecting your privacy and monitoring your email, SSN, bank accounts, credit cards, and other personal information. With identity theft a rather commonplace occurrence today, security software is really a must. Additionally, our online protection software can also provide you with an online Protection Score that shows you just how safe you are. From there, it calls out any weak spots and then walks you through the steps to shore it up with personalized guidance.
It’s unfortunate seeing a resource we’ve come to know and love over the past years get taken advantage of this way. Yet taking the steps outlined above can go a long way to prevent it from happening to you or someone you love.
One important note is to strongly consider filing a report if you believe you’ve been a victim of a social media scam. While some of the scammers behind these crimes are small-time operators, there are larger, almost business-like operations that conduct these crimes on a broader and sometimes international scale. So whether filing a report will help you recover some or all your losses, it can provide information to businesses and agencies that can help keep it from happening to others.
For more on online theft and fraud, and how you can spot and report it, check out our article on the topic. Doing so may help you, and someone else as well.
The post The Gold Rush of Fraud: Why Scammers Have Flocked to Social Media appeared first on McAfee Blog.
For years now, the popularity of online dating has been on the rise—and so have the number of online romance scams that leave people with broken hearts and empty wallets.
According to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the reported costs of online romance scams jumped 50% from 2019 to 2020, to the tune of $304 million. And that’s not entirely because 2020 was a pandemic year. From 2016 to 2020, the volume of reported cases tripled, while reported losses nearly quadrupled. Over that period, online romance scams are not only becoming more common, but they’re also becoming more costly.
Dating and romance scams aren’t limited to online dating apps and sites, they’ll happen on social media and in online games as well. However, the FTC reports that the scam usually starts the same way, typically through an unexpected friend request or a message that comes out of the blue.
With that initial introduction made, a chat begins, and a friendship (or more) blossoms from there. Along the way, the scammer will often rely on a mix of somewhat exotic yet believable storytelling to lure the victim in, often involving their job and where they’re working. Reports say that scammers will talk of being workers on an offshore oil rig, members of the military stationed overseas, doctors working with an international organization, or working in the sort of jobs that would prevent them from otherwise easily meeting up in person.
With the phony relationship established, the scammer starts asking for money. The FTC reports that they’ll ask for money for several bogus reasons, usually revolving around some sort of hardship where they need a “little help” so that they can pay:
The list goes on, yet that’s the general gist. Scammers often employ a story with an intriguing complication that seems just reasonable enough, one where the romance scammer makes it sound like they could really use the victim’s financial help.
People who have filed fraud reports say they’ve paid their scammer in a few typical ways.
One is by wiring money, often through a wire transfer company. The benefit of this route, for the scammer anyway, is that this is as good as forking over cash. Once it’s gone, it’s gone. The victim lacks the protections they have with other payment forms, such as a credit card that allows the holder to cancel or contest a charge.
Another way is through gift cards. Scammers of all stripes, not just romance scammers, like these because they effectively work like cash, whether it’s a gift card for a major online retailer or a chain of brick-and-mortar stores. Like a wire transfer, once that gift card is handed over, the money on it is highly difficult to recover, if at all.
One more common payment is through reloadable debit cards. A scammer may make an initial request for such a card and then make several follow-on requests to load it up again.
In all, a romance scammer will typically look for the easiest payment method that’s the most difficult to contest or reimburse, leaving the victim in a financial lurch once the scam ends.
When it comes to meeting new people online, the FTC suggests the following:
Scammers, although arguably heartless, are still human. They make mistakes. The stories they concoct are just that. Stories. They may jumble their details, get their times and dates all wrong, or simply get caught in an apparent lie. Also, keep in mind that some scammers may be working with several victims at once, which is yet another opportunity for them to get confused and slip up.
As mentioned above, some romance scammers troll social media and reach out through a direct message or friend request. With that, there are three things you can do to cut down your chances of getting caught up with a scammer:
Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and others give you the option of making your profile and posts visible to friends only. Choosing this setting keeps the broader internet from seeing what you’re doing, saying, and posting, which can help protect your privacy and give a romance scammer less information to exploit.
Be critical of the invitations you receive. Out-and-out strangers could be more than a romance scammer, they could be a fake account designed to gather information on users for purposes of cybercrime, or they can be an account designed to spread false information. There are plenty of them too. In fact, in Q3 of 2021 alone, Facebook took action on 1.8 billion fake accounts. Reject such requests.
Security software can protect you from clicking on malicious links that a scammer may send you online, while also steering you clear of other threats like viruses, ransomware, and phishing attacks in general. It can look out for your personal information as well, by protecting your privacy and monitoring your email, SSN, bank accounts, credit cards, and other info that a scammer or identity thief may put to use. With identity theft a rather commonplace occurrence today, security software is really a must.
If you suspect that you’re being scammed, put an end to the relationship and report it, as difficult as that may feel.
Notify the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov for support and next steps to help you recover financially as much as possible. Likewise, notify the social media site, app, or service where the scam occurred as well. In some cases, you may want to file a police report, which we cover in our broader article on identity theft and fraud.
If you sent funds via a gift card, the FTC suggests filing a claim with the company as soon as possible. They offer further advice on filing a claim here, along with a list of contact numbers for gift card brands that scammers commonly use.
Lastly, go easy on yourself. If you find yourself a victim of online dating or romance fraud, know that you won’t be the first or last person to be taken advantage of this way. By reporting your case, you in fact may help others from falling victim too.
The post Phony Valentines: Online Dating Scams and How to Spot Them appeared first on McAfee Blog.
The convenience of tapping your phone at the cash register instead of fumbling for loose change in your physical wallet is undeniable. Nearly 40% of Canadians used their mobile wallets more often in 2020 because of the perceived safety of contactless payment, according to one report.1 While digital wallets and tap to pay is becoming more widespread, you may wonder: what exactly is a digital wallet? Are they safe?
A digital wallet, also known as a mobile wallet, is a smartphone app that stores your payment information and enables tap to pay at most point-of-sale terminals. A digital wallet is perfectly safe, as long as you guard your smartphone just as closely as you would your physical wallet.
Here’s why you should secure your digital wallet and three tips to help you do so.
Think about what you store in your physical wallet: credit cards, debit cards, driver’s license, library cards, gift cards, cash. Now, imagine (or if you’ve been unlucky enough to lose your wallet in the past, think back to) the hassle that would ensue if someone stole your wallet or you misplaced it. Not only do you have to cancel your cards, notify your various banks, and wait for replacements, but the niggling worry that a stranger has access to your personally identifiable information (PII) will likely keep you up at night.
Just like you store your wallet in your front pocket when about town and check your seat before leaving a taxi or a plane, look after your smartphone just as closely. Unlike a physical wallet, whose absence is noticed quickly, a digital wallet may be compromised by a cyber pickpocket without you knowing for a while. For example, the BBC reported that researchers found a potential shortcoming in Apple Pay’s Express Transit mode where cyber pickpockets could remotely access mobile wallets.2 Luckily, the researchers’ experiment is unlikely to occur in the real world, but it’s a reminder to everyone to check their monthly bank statements for suspicious transactions. Cybercriminals get smarter and bolder by the day, so it’s not unlikely that they’ll find and exploit a digital wallet shortcoming in the future.
Follow these tips to help you use your digital wallet more confidently.
Always protect your digital wallet with a passcode! This is the best and easiest way to deter cybercriminals. It’s best if this combination of numbers is different than the passcode to your phone. Also, make sure the numbers are random. Birthdays, anniversaries, house addresses, and the last digits of your phone number are all popular combinations and are crackable codes to a resourceful criminal.
Better yet, if your mobile wallet app allows you to protect your account with facial recognition or a fingerprint scan, set it up! If your digital wallet proves difficult or impossible to enter, a cybercriminal may leave it for an easier target, keeping your PII safe.
Another way to secure your digital wallet is to make sure you always download the latest software updates. Developers are constantly finding and patching security holes, so the most up-to-date software is often the most secure. Turn on automatic updates to ensure you never miss a new release.
Before you swap your plastic cards for digital payment methods, make sure you research the digital banking app before downloading. Make sure that any app you download is through the official Apple or Android store or the financial institution’s official website. Then, check out how many downloads and reviews the app has to make sure you’re downloading an official app and not an imposter. While most of the apps on official stores are legitimate, it’s always best practice to check for typos, blurry logos, and unprofessional app descriptions to make sure.
The digital era is an exciting time to make the most of the conveniences technology affords; however, constant vigilance is key to keeping your finances and PII private. Whether you’re looking for additional peace of mind or have lost your wallet, consider signing up for an identity monitoring service like McAfee identity protection. McAfee will monitor your email addresses and bank accounts and alert you to suspicious activities up to 10 months sooner than similar services. Are you curious about how secure your current online habits are? Check your Security Protection Score today and see what steps you can take to live more confidently online.
1Canadian Payment Methods and Trends Report 2021
The post How to Secure Your Digital Wallet appeared first on McAfee Blog.
Let’s face it – we would not be the same people we are today if it wasn’t for the internet. The internet has opened our eyes to so much information that we are privileged to have right at our fingertips. However, it’s important to remember that with so many individuals with access to the web, it can quickly become a place where rumors are spread, cyberattacks are cast, and misinformation arises. At McAfee, we are committed to protecting both you and your family. Together, through education and online protection, we can work together to experience a better internet for everyone. On this Safer Internet Day, here are our top 5 recommendations:
With a connected family, it’s important to pay attention to what your family members are connected to (IoT devices in the home, smartphones, tablets, etc.) and how they interact online. Maybe your son is an avid gamer, or your teenager is a social media mogul who enjoys tweeting and scrolling through TikTok. As a parent, you play a crucial role in setting an example for your children and loved ones. So, it’s important to teach them how to use the internet responsibly. Here are some tips for helping your family stay safe online:
In a time when students are reliant on connectivity to be successful in their education, it’s important that they connect to the internet safely. Ensuring a safe connection can prevent any security hiccups from standing in the way of you and your degree. If you are a college student, follow these tips to help you stay safe in a hybrid or distance learning environment:
Regardless of your industry, you are likely to rely on the internet to do your job. Restaurant workers use online POS systems, bank tellers require access to their customers’ online accounts – the list goes on. With so much of your day spent online, it’s important to keep internet safety best practices top of mind so you can continue to work free from potential cyber interruptions. No matter what career path you are on, following these tips can help you stay safe online and continue to do your job with confidence:
If you can dream it, you can stream it. With so much media at your fingertips, it’s important to remember that cybercriminals tend to focus their threats on trending consumer behaviors. For example, cybercriminals will tend to focus their scams on popular TV shows or movies in the hopes that an unsuspecting user will click on their malicious download. Because streaming has become so popular in recent years, consumers should prioritize the safety of their online streaming platforms like Spotify, Netflix, Hulu, etc. Here are some ways to stay protected while streaming:
As technology has become more advanced, we’ve become accustomed to the many benefits that come with taking our devices with us everywhere we go. For example, we can deposit checks from home with our mobile banking apps and can use vehicle location services on our phones to remind us where we parked. Here’s how you can stay protected while on-the-go:
“There’s no doubt the internet has brought so many benefits to our daily life,” says Alex Merton-McCann, McAfee’s Cyber Safety Ambassador. “I honestly can’t imagine life without it! But in order for us all to continue benefiting from its many pluses, we all have a responsibility to make it a safe and enjoyable place. So, let’s #playitfaironline and commit to being respectful and kind towards each other online to ensure life online is safe and enjoyable for us all!”
Check out #SaferInternetDay and #SID2022 hashtags on social media to be a part of the conversation.
The post How We Can All Work Together For a Better Internet appeared first on McAfee Blog.
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