Jamaica Information Service published an article on December 7, 2020, about how to protect self from cybercrimes. Here’s a summary:
Cybercrimes are crimes where a computer is the object of the crime or issued as a tool to commit an offence which includes cyberbullying and stealing personal information. To be cyber safe and protect yourself online, practice these simple steps:
- Stop and think before using the internet, take time to comprehend the risks, and stop potential problems.
- Take a moment and think to ensure the path ahead is clear and keep in consideration the warning signs and how your actions online could impact safety.
- Connect and enjoy the internet with great confidence in knowing you’ve taken the right steps to safeguard your online presence.
Some other tips include:
- Obtain antivirus protection as it’s very effective in keeping files and personal information safe. Examples include BitDefender or Norton Internet Security Software
- Use secure passwords and not passwords that can easily be associated with you, such as passwords including birthdays and names of spouses. Secure passwords are 8-32 characters long and include a mixture of capital letters, special character, and numbers
- Keep tabs on important information, such as bank statements.
- Keep your information private such as online passwords, do not share them with anyone, and if your passwords are compromised in any way, immediately change them.
- Have a back up for your files in secure locations using devices such as hard drives or online storage
Source: jis.gov.jm
Contributed by Racquel Bailey from Jamaica. Racquel is a member of the WISC Discord group from the G5 Cyber Security Foundation Ltd. Learn more about WISC (Women in InfoSec Caribbean) at wiscaribbean.org. WISC is a non-profit initiative supporting Caribbean women and girls to develop a career in Information Security.