October is cybersecurity awareness month. To help raise awareness around cybersecurity the E-learning leaders have created a website containing a game to make learning about how to stay safe online fun.

Being safe online is very important. Nowadays, we rely on the internet but it is important to know some of the dangers of the internet. Here are three of the many crucial things we need to look out for on the internet today.

Phishing

Phishing is a cybercrime in which a target is contacted by email, phone or text by someone pretending to be from a reputable company who tries to lure the target into giving away their data. This information is then used to access accounts and cause havoc and financial loss. You can make sure you don’t become a victim of phishing by not clicking on any links or attachments from dodgy looking emails or messages.

Doxxing

Doxxing is when somebody harvests information about you and publishes it online with malicious intent. Hackers use doxing to harass, threaten, or get revenge on others. Doxxers collect small pieces of information about you online and then put all the information together to see who you are. These small pieces of information can include the target’s name, physical address, email address, phone number, and more. You can avoid being a victim of doxxing by not sending any information about yourself online.

Spoofing

Spoofing is when a hacker sends you an email pretending to be a trusted person (colleague, family member) in order to gain access to your systems, steal data, steal money, or spread malware. You can avoid becoming a victim of spoofing by checking the sender’s email address. If you are still unsure whether the email was sent by the trusted person, call them with the number you saved on your phone and ask them if they sent the email.

To promote e-safety, the e-learning leaders created a website and game to help people understand how to stay safe online in an interactive and fun way. The first thing we did was send out a survey on people’s online habits. The data from this survey helped us to develop the website and game and tailor it to students’ online habits. The end result is shown below:

By Hadi Nasser