Internet Safety

 

Modern technology gave rise to fast internet & has changed our lives. But with this users have become vulnerable. One must be vigilant to stay safe online. E-safety is important while surfing the internet. Internet scams, cyber stalking, cyber bullying, cyber grooming and sextortion are common threats to our personal safety .

It is important to identify cyber threats. Some of these cyber threats are listed here –

• Virus attack on computer 
• Malware 
• Phishing 
• Identity threat 
• Cyber bullying/ cyber Stalking 
• Cyber Grooming 
• Online gaming cyber crime 
• Online transaction fraud 
• Social media cyber attack 
• Sextortion

         

Here are some useful tips for safe internet surfing :

• Always secure wi-fi network connection with a password. 
• When connecting to public Wi-Fi networks, be cautious about what information you are sending, such as e-mail or banking
• Keep softwares on your computers and mobile devices up to date 
• Access sites with https or carries an image of a lock in URL
• Verify the correctness of the domain of the e-mail ID, for example, all government websites have “.gov.in” or “.nic.in” as part of their web address 
• Do not share personal information with unknown. 
• Set strong passwords and change them regularly
• Use a two step OTP verification process to access your e-mail accounts
• Do not save your usernames and passwords in the web browser 
• Do not respond to suspicious e-mails or click on suspicious links
• Do not transfer money to any untrusted unknown account 
• Do scan all e-mail attachments for viruses before opening 
• Enable proper spam filters in your e-mail account 
• Do not leave your webcam connected
• Keep family/friends informed, in case you plan to meet a social media friend. Always plan such meetings in public places 

National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal can be accessed through www.cybercrime.gov.in . A toll-free number 155260 has been operationalised to assist lodging of online cyber complaints. Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) is established to help people. Public may report incidents pertaining to all types of cyber crimes. I4C provides a framework and eco-system to deal with the cyber-crimes.

Dr. Snehal Kamalapur

Reference:

 https://www.cybercrime.gov.in