Check Point Software Highlights Five Tips for Surfing the Internet Safely

Today we celebrate Internet User Day or Internet User. August 23 marks the anniversary of one of humanity’s greatest technological events: the day the web page was first published worldwide in 1991. and in our daily existence.

Every day, millions of people use the Internet to access various Internet search engines, as well as to keep abreast of daily events, communicate effectively between communities and regions, and perform various tasks that provide greater comfort. and well-being.

As of January 2022, Brazil has 165.3 million Internet users, representing 77% of the population, according to Digital 2022 research; and Kepios analysis shows that the number of Internet users in Brazil increased by 5.3 million (+3.3%) between 2021 and 2022. connected, equivalent to 197 days a year.

For this reason, and because it is a tool of everyday use, there is an increased risk that people will become victims of cyberattacks over the Internet. According to a report by Check Point® Software Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ: CHKP), a leading provider of global cybersecurity solutions, experienced a historic peak in global cyberattacks in the second quarter of 2022, up 32% from the second quarter of 2021.

Here are some of the most common dangers that Internet users may be exposed to:

malware: various malware such as computer viruses, worms, trojans, ransomware, spyware, adware, scareware and more. It may take the form of executable code, scripts, active content, and other software. The top malware in Brazil in July was Emotet with an impact rate of 24.22%, followed by Chaes with an impact rate of 4.86% consumer information from Mercado Livre and Mercado Pago, among others).

Phishing: A social engineering technique used by cybercriminals to fraudulently obtain sensitive information from users in order to steal their identity, as well as identity theft, credit card credentials, banking details, etc. One of the most common forms of phishing is impersonating brands known users, or those they trust, by posting phishing links in emails that unsuspecting victims will click on. In Brazil, 79% of malicious files were delivered by email in the last 30 days (from late July to mid-August).

In this scenario, Check Point Software is using Internet Day to strengthen user protection by listing five tips for safely browsing the Internet and minimizing risks:

1- Visit only safe sites: Many sites lack security measures, either due to misconfiguration (putting general information at risk) or because they are malicious. For this reason, it is extremely important to take extreme precautions when sharing personal data online and to know which sites are safe. The best way is to make sure that the website follows the https security protocol, that is, if the URL contains the letter “s” at the end, as this means that this is a secure website and has been adapted to security standards. Another sign found in some browsers is the green padlock at the beginning of the link.

2- Always install updatesA: People often think that updating software and apps is irrelevant. However, Check Point Software shows that this habit of ignoring updates can be a huge risk. patches The protections that the manufacturer offers to address previously discovered security bugs are not implemented. In other words, having the latest software update optimizes your security level and is an effective strategy for protecting your data and files from potential security breaches, cyberattacks, and more.

3- Do not use the same username and password for different online services.A: More and more services, programs or applications can be used over the Internet. For this reason, the same access credentials are often used to simplify and prevent forgetfulness and connectivity issues. However, this is a big mistake, because if a cybercriminal gains access to the username and password database of any of these applications, it will be very easy to hack other accounts. Thus, it is important to use different usernames and passwords rather than using passwords that can be easily learned, such as birthday, pet name, and others.

4- Download apps only from official stores: Games, social networks, online banking and other mobile applications are becoming more and more available for download, and this means that users tend to install a large number of these programs on their mobile devices. It is important that the user make sure to download one of these applications from the official store (Play Store, App Store and others), otherwise the user may lose control over their data.

5- Protect devices: A cybercriminal can gain access to a smartphone, tablet or computer in a variety of ways, stealing an incalculable amount of information. In this situation, it is important to protect yourself from cyber attacks. In this sense, Check Point Software emphasizes the importance of having security software that protects devices and information.

Check Point software offers ZoneAlarm Mobile (version home/consumer) and Harmony Mobile (enterprise version), solutions for protecting mobile devices from modern mobile attacks.

“The Internet is part of everyone’s daily life, and during the pandemic, its use has increased even more. That’s why it’s important to know the risks we’re exposed to every time we perform tasks like browsing websites or downloading an app, so we can stay protected with a prevention-focused approach and not put our data at risk,” emphasizes Fernando. de. Falchi, Safety Manager and Evangelist at Check Point Software Brasil.

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