Grim warning as cyber-crime continues to rise
Barely a day seems to pass without hearing about a brand-new internet scam lurking in our inboxes, and if a recent report from online security company Symantec is anything to go by, the threat of cyber-crime is only going to get worse.
The Symantec Annual Threat Report highlighted both the growing number of instances of cybercrime and the increasing sophistication of the scams.
Symantec security expert Nick Savvides said email attacks were at their highest level in five years, with one in every 121 emails expected to contain a malicious link or attachment.
Mr Savvides told News.com.au, “The cyber-criminals wouldn’t use this method if it wasn’t successful and they are always improving the content of their emails to make them very convincing.
“For example, while many people have learned that the federal police will never send you a speeding fine by email, pretty much every Australian is buying goods online, so the fake invoice, fake delivery docket or parcel pick up emails can be very convincing.”
So how do we avoid these common internet scams? Well, Symantec have offered a few tips to help keep your computer clear of any malicious online viruses.
- Change the default passwords on your devices and services.
- Keep your operating system and software up to date.
- Be extra careful on email.
- Back up your files.
Have you ever fallen victim to cyber-crime? If so, how did you cope?