Ever since the pandemic, the average number of people using the internet and being present online has increased significantly. Ofcom reported that on average, a person was online for more than 4 hours every day. Naturally, the number of cyberattacks have also increased. The BBC reported that there were around 6,000 fraud and scam cases related to the pandemic in general.
It meant that there were more numbers online than before. As we’re trying to come back into some form of a normal routine, it’s important to make sure you’re aware of the risks that being online may entail and what you can do to protect yourself online.
As the new year dawns on us in January, in this blog, we take a dive to see how you can help to protect yourself online on the Community and beyond to try and ensure you are safe when on the web.
Whilst we try our best to keep the Community a safe and secure platform to be on, some of the responsibility also falls on you, the members. This is why we curated the Community Guidelines, to ensure that when you are online, you can stay safe and anonymous whilst on the platform. Now that we have the introductions out of the way, let’s continue to learn more about cybersecurity and what you can do to help protect yourself online.
Phishing
It has a funny spelling and sounds similar to fishing, and that’s because, in a way, it is. Phishing scams are probably the most common type of scam and it can make anyone an easy target, especially when the you see phishing email appearing to come from a bank, company or even a website that you may use frequently. According to National Cyber Security Centre, a UK government organisation, as of August this year, there have been approximately 23 million reported scams.
Due to being so common, you may have seen some examples of this on the Community, where random accounts have been created and post links to sites that try and gather your information. On the Community, we have honed our moderation system to try it’s best to capture as many SPAM/Phishing accounts as possible. Sometimes, some may slip through the cracks and therefore, we ask our members to remain vigilant. Please keep in mind, if you see something suspicious, do not hesitate to hit the ‘Flag to Moderator’ button and we’ll take a look into things.
Personal Details
You want to ensure that when you are entering any personal information such as your name, email address and home address, just to name a few, you want to make sure the site you are using is secure. There are some tips on how to spot a secure site, for example, if you take a glance at the address bar in the browser whilst using the Community, you should be able to see a small padlock on the left of the address.
This padlock is a sign that shows the website you are using has a secure verification and encryption process. It’s a good thing to remember that if you are using any website which asks for your data, look for the padlock to protect yourself online. You can click on the icon and it should show you the Community’s security certificate. This shows that any data you share with us, you can do so in a safe manner.
However, it’s important to note that just because our site is encrypted and secure, it doesn’t mean you should share your personal information on the forums. This is why in the Community Guidelines, we kindly ask members to not share any personal information that may make you identifiable outside of the Community. We encourage members to remain anonymous and if you wish to speak to another member privately, you are able to do so through our Private Message function, provided the other member is your friend on the site.
So after taking a quick look at two of the most common, let’s look at how we can tie on some safe practices that go hand in hand with our Online Community Guidelines.
Your safety in the Online Community is of utmost importance. We hope this blog can shed light on the real-world relevance of cybersecurity as well as our Community Guidelines. By adhering to these guidelines and staying informed about cybersecurity, you're taking an active role in protecting yourself and your fellow Community members as we strive to make the Community as safe and secure as it could possibly be.
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