Phishing is a very dangerous practice adapted by attackers to rip you off your data and money both. This is a very primitive practice but unfortunately with time the attackers have got better with it owing to the world becoming a huge digital space for them with the rapid user base. No one wants to be a victim of phishing but the risk of your falling a prey to it is high specially if you do not know the various ways of avoiding phishing. But let us first understand what is phishing.
What is Phishing?
The phishing meaning is any illegal cyber activity or phishing attack that happens with them help of a malicious email/SMS/VOIP with the help of which the attacker can access your critical personal information. This is extremely dangerous as the attacker can get the details of you bank, Aadhaar card, passwords etc., which can harm you both personally and professionally.
One way of staying protected against such cybercrimes is to have Bajaj Finserv’s Cyber Security Protection Plan in place which provides various financial benefits in case you are phished. It provides a sum insured from Rs. 25,000 – Rs. 2 Lakhs providing protection against various types of pf cybercrimes like spoofing e-mail/links/messages, phishing, SIM jacking and fraud telephonic calls.
Ways of Phishing Prevention?
Once you learn about the gravity of harm that phishing can have on your personal and professional life, the next question is- “how to prevent phishing”.
- Keep yourself informed- There is not one but several different types of phishing techniques like Deceptive Phishing, Whaling, Spear Phishing, Pharming, Vishing etc. It is important that you study in detail about the various ways in which an attacker can send you a phishing message and what does such messages include. It will help you gain knowledge about the phishing techniques and will keep you up to date with the new ways of phishing.
- Your one click can be very dangerous- In todays world when we get hundreds of emails and messages, it has become a normal tendency for us to click on the links and URLs given in these messages and emails. While these seem harmless, it is through these links that you will fall a prey of phishing. These links open to websites that seem original but are fake and once you enter your personal details here, the attacker can access the same and then exploits your data. Therefore, think before you click, and also verify the email address or phone number of the sender before entering into any conversation with random strangers.
- Install an anti-phishing software-There are several anti-phishing software available in the market that protect your system against the phishing attacks. These tools or software run quick check on the various websites that you click on and send an alert message in case you have clicked on a phishing site. Hence, you can avoid entering any information on the site.
- Verify the site– Before you enter any information on a website. It is important that you check that the site is genuine or not and to do so you must check the URL to see that it begins with “https”. Also, a lock icon close to the address bar represents an authentic site.
- Keep a tab of your accounts- There are people that do not regularly visit their accounts and you never know if it has been phished. So, it is important that you regularly change your ID and passwords so that your online accounts are less prone to phishing.
- Avail card protection plan offered by Bajaj Finserv.
- Keep your browser updated- Do not ignore the messages asking for browsers updates. These updates are results to strengthen the security against phishers and security loopholes that are newly discovered.
- Use both desktop and network firewalls- As the name suggests these firewalls work as a protective shield against attackers. Use of both desktop and network firewalls reduces the risk of phishers penetrating your virtual space.
In the digital world today, it is extremely important that you keep your eyes and ears open for the newer advances and infringements in the space of internet. The key to security against phishing or any other internet fraud is to keep yourself informed and up to date.
