Have you ever heard of “phishing attacks”? They’re like the bad guys of the internet, causing lots of trouble. In fact, they’re behind about 90% of all the problems we face online, costing businesses over $12 billion every year. Basically, these attacks try to trick people into doing things that aren’t safe. Like clicking on links that could harm their computers or going to websites that can’t be trusted. Most of these bad actions happen through emails.
To protect ourselves from phishing, we need to do several things, like a superhero with lots of tools in his belt! Here’s a simple way to understand them:
Build stronger walls to keep bad guys out:
- We need to use something like a digital bouncer, called anti-spoofing controls, to stop the bad guys from pretending to be your friends in your emails.
- We need to think about what we share online, keep private stuff private, and only show what’s needed.
- We can use special tools to spot these bad emails and send them straight to the trash or block them from reaching us in the first place.
Learn to spot and tell about bad emails:
- It’s like a game of “spot the difference”. We need to learn what phishing emails look like so we can avoid them.
- Use special security steps like getting a code on your phone or logging into your account to make sure important emails are real.
- Remember that no good company will ever ask for your secret password or bank details in an email.
Protect your computer and stuff from bad emails:
- Make sure to keep your computer programs and gadgets updated, like getting the latest version of a video game, to keep safe from known tricks.
- Use a tool that stops you from visiting websites known for being bad and causing damage, kind of like a digital shield.
- Consider using a password manager, which is like a safe for your passwords. It knows the difference between real and fake websites, so it won’t give your password to a fake one.
Be quick to respond when you spot trouble:
- Know how to tell the right people quickly if you think you’ve found a phishing attack, like telling a teacher about a problem in school.
- Use a system that keeps track of security problems that you might not notice, like a watchtower looking out for danger.
- If something bad happens, it’s not just a job for the computer guys. Other people like lawyers, HR, and PR folks need to help fix things too.
By doing all these things, we can become better at stopping phishing attacks and protect ourselves and our stuff from harm.