ONLINE SECURITY

• The standard definition of online security calls it the mix of rules that are followed and actions that are taken to make sure online user data and privacy aren’t compromised by cybercriminals.
• Online safety represents the process of staying safe on the Internet – basically making sure online security threats don’t endanger your personal information or the integrity of the device you are using.
• Malware - is malicious software that has been programmed to infect any device it comes in contact with. The total number of malware has been increasing significantly over the past years, so malware is one of the biggest security threats on the web right now.
• Viruses – A type of self-replicating malware.
• Adware – Exposes you to tons of unwanted ads.
• Spyware – Logs your personal data through keyloggers.
• Ransomware – Encrypts sensitive data or prevents you from accessing your device until a ransom is paid.
• Trojan Horses – Malicious programs that are built (usually without the manufacturer/programmer knowing) into legitimate applications.
• Computer worms – malware that doesn’t need to be attached to other files or programs, lives in the computer memory, and infects other devices on the same network.
• Phishing - generally involves cybercriminals trying to deceive you into revealing personal and financial information by either pretending to be a legitimate business or by trying to threaten you with legal repercussions if you don’t comply.
• Pharming - is a method cybercriminals might use to improve their odds of tricking online users with phishing websites. Unlike phishing, pharming doesn’t rely so much on fake messages. Instead, cybercriminals attempt to directly redirect user connection requests to malicious websites.
• Application vulnerabilities - are usually bugs and errors found in the code of a specific program which can be taken advantage of by cybercriminals or hackers to access and steal user data.
• DoS (Denial of Service) and DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attacks are used to overwhelm network servers in an attempt to take a website or an online service down – either for a few minutes, hours, or even days. DoS attacks originate from a single computer, while DDoS attacks come from a whole network of infected computers (called a botnet).
• SCAMS - Scammers have been preying on people before the Internet was a thing. Now, they’re more active and successful than ever since scamming people out of their money and personal information is much easier.
• Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) attacks involve a cybercriminal intercepting or altering communications between two parties.
• Spamming can be defined as the mass distribution of unsolicited messages on the Internet. The messages can contain anything from simple ads to pornography. The messages can be sent through email, on social media, blog comments, or messaging apps.
• WiFi eavesdropping - normally takes place on unsecured WiFi networks (usually the free ones you see in public), and it involves cybercriminals taking advantage of the lack of encryption to spy on your online connections and communications
• Hacking - is a term used to describe actions taken by someone to gain unauthorized access to a computer.
• Ransomware - is a type of malware that restricts access to your computer or your files and displays a message that demands payment in order for the restriction to be removed.
• Spyware and adware are often used by third parties to infiltrate your computer.