Tag: data privacy

Sharing Public Links | Data Security

Data Security: How Safe is it to Share a Public Link?

Link sharing is so common that we don’t even think about what we are doing when we copy and paste a link. But thinking twice before sharing public links to an interesting article could help protect you from cybercriminals

Here’s why link sharing has become so risky and what you can do to stay safe – while staying social – online.

Think before you link

There’s no doubt that hyperlinks are one of the major inventions that made the rapid progress of the internet possible. After all, they give us a simple way to link pages within a single site or refer to other URLs.

Without links, websites simply wouldn’t function, and Google would lose one of the major criteria it uses to rank websites on the search results page. But for all the great functionality that links offer, they also present their share of risks.

In general, there are three main online security threats that could occur every time you share a link.

  1. Privacy concerns. Linking to a Google Drive or Dropbox folder containing sensitive information could result in major data losses if it falls into the wrong hands.
  2. No user trail. A public link can be accessed by anyone and even with the best analytics you won’t know who actually clicked on it – and potentially viewed sensitive information or downloaded it.
  3. No passwords required. A normal hyperlink doesn’t require a password to access it, leaving sensitive information potentially exposed.

In addition, a major issue can arise if there’s a typo in your link, which creates a brand new link that previously didn’t exist. This new domain could be noticed by cybercriminals, registered, and populated with malware or other damaging software.

If a social media post containing the erroneous link happens to go viral, millions of internet users could be affected.

How to share data safely online

To avoid the data privacy pitfalls that come with link sharing,  you’ll want to opt for alternative ways of sharing information.

Encrypted email, private groups on slack and WhatsApp, and private networks are some alternatives that will let you share information without exposing your business to significant online risks.

Keep your data safe with secure cloud storage

Being conscious of online security threats is one part of an overall strategy that can help you to secure your data.

Secure cloud storage will let you build a fortress around your valuable files and ensure that they don’t end up in the wrong hands. To protect your data today, choose from our range of packages for business and personal users.

Public WiFi Data Privacy

Travellers beware: the dangers of public WiFi and data privacy

International travel is rebounding as vaccinated tourists board flights and book accommodation with a vengeance.

If you’re joining the wave of post-COVID travellers, chances are you’ll find yourself in an airport, bus station, or public area that offers convenient free WiFi – but you’ll want to think twice before joining public networks which pose major security risks.

one in four travellers has been hacked through public WiFi

Don’t let it be you

Public WiFi may seem like a convenience designed to make travel easier, but it holds many dangers from a data security standpoint.

  • 2022 statistics from Nord VPN reveal that 25% of travellers become victims of attacks against their personal data
  • Worryingly, many of these events take place via public WiFi

Here are several tactics that cybercriminals use to compromise public WiFi data privacy and some tips to prevent it from happening to you.

are you sure that’s the right WiFi network?

That network called “airport WiFi” may not belong to the airport at all.

  • Criminals have been known to create their own WiFi hotspots that impersonate public WiFi networks.
  • Once unsuspecting users connect to these networks, their personal details – including banking information – can easily be stolen.

To avoid falling prey to these scams, always verify the name of the official WiFi network in the location you’re connecting from.

Better yet, travel with a data dongle or use your own cellular data to make bookings and other important transactions where your personal information is being transferred online.

unsecured means no-go

If the public WiFi network you’re attempting to join says “unsecured”, stop right there. This type of network is extremely high-risk, and your data could be seconds away from being compromised.

no VPN? your WiFi data privacy is at risk

One of the surest ways to keep your data safe is by using a VPN service that creates your own private network if you simply have to use public WiFi. This will make it extremely hard for cybercriminals to access your devices.

To ensure that your information is safe, wherever your travels take you, secure cloud storage is your best line of defence. We’d love you to view our range of packages for individuals and home users and choose the one that best suits your needs.

Back tracking | Smartphones & Privacy

Is your phone ‘back’ tracking you?

Billions of people around the world rely on their mobile phones for much more than just communication. In fact, these devices have become inseparable from their owners in every sense – including data privacy.

is your smart phone working for you or against you?

Backing up your data and changing your passwords regularly are good data security habits, but that’s not all it takes to be safe online anymore. Digital devices can track your location and movements, giving cybercriminals crucial information about you, and putting your privacy at risk.

If you’re an Android or iPhone user, you need to know the privacy risks involved in using a mobile device, especially if you’re a big fan of Facebook.

Let’s start with your next selfie.

snap, share, but beware

Next time you add a photo to your Facebook feed, you’ll be sharing a lot more than your latest designer dinner or happy family memory.

  • Digital photos contain a specific signature called EFIL data that includes the time and date the photo was taken, the specific device that was used to take it, and (most worryingly for Facebook users) the location where it was taken.
  • Twitter automatically removes this information when you upload a picture but Facebook doesn’t. In fact, there’s no way to prevent the site from retaining this information –  and that means it could be leaked in a data breach.

Unfortunately, if you’re not comfortable with this information being gathered by Facebook you may need to delete the app entirely.

The decision to do this is entirely up to the indificual Facebook user and you’ll need to weigh the benefits of staying connected with your friends and family or using the platform for business against the risk of having your private data leaked.

staying connected on the go – someone may be watching

Our phones go with us everywhere, and we’re always able to stay in touch with friends, family, and work contacts. This also creates a new risk – especially for iPhone users who have downloaded the  Facebook app.

  • The iPhone accelerometer which tracks your steps and helps you see whether you’ve hit 10 000 a day also gives Facebook the ability to know exactly where you are.
  • Believe it or not, this can even be done indirectly by comparing your accelerometer data with that of people nearby and matching your vibrations to theirs.
  • In other news, your phone’s Bluetooth signature can be used to keep tabs on your location – and switching Bluetooth off may not be enough to prevent this.

We know, this is a lot to take in. But when you’re  ready to take your online privacy to the next level. As a cloud provider with our clients’ best interests as a top priority, we can help.

Take your privacy back with cloud storage

It may not be practical to stop using a smartphone or delete Facebook, but you can take other steps to ensure that your private data – especially sensitive company information – is kept safe.

Secure cloud storage is the ideal solution for businesses of all sizes. Contact us today to learn more about him cloud services are cloud solutions.

Just how much is your personal data worth on the dark web?

To many, the “dark web” only really exists in chilling movies. The reality, however, is that the dark web exists in our lives, and it can have a dire impact on you and your loved ones if you’re not careful.

The thing about falling victim to criminals who lurk on the dark web is that it can take you completely by surprise. It’s all far too easy to unwittingly give someone all the information they need to ruin your financial life. Consider what’s involved when starting a new online job or opening a seemingly legit online account.

You may not appreciate the risk of emailing a copy of your ID to a company that requests it, but what if the person requesting the file is just a poser (not a real representative of the company)? The poser then sells the copy of your ID to unscrupulous criminals through the dark web. After all, they can’t exactly advertise your ID in the local newspaper.

how much is your personal data worth?

Criminals on the dark web actively advertise for the personal data of individuals and companies, often paying over ridiculous amounts for specific data records. They have become so flagrant and so commercialised that they even offer loyalty schemes and rewards programs for people who can sell them bulk lists of personal data.

What’s in the data, and how do the criminals score? It’s not just your name, surname, and ID that these criminals can get their hands on. It’s also your credit card and banking details. With your personal data, they can create fake documents, open loan accounts, impersonate you, and even steal your identity.

the dark web is like a freelancing site for criminals

It’s hard not to compare the dark web to freelancing sites.

Cybercriminals simply post an ad for the personal data they want and attach a price to it. A “freelance” criminal will then set out to find these details to hand over to the criminals in exchange for payment.

Stolen PayPal details, for instance, can net a cybercriminal just less than R3 000, while Master Card PINs will get you just over R200. These amounts make you realise why so many criminals are willing to spend a large portion of their time scouting around for criminal opportunities.

vigilance is key

Protecting yourself is all about being vigilant. You should be aware of the risks and ensure that you don’t become complacent with your personal data.

  • If you need to store a copy of your ID, don’t store it on your phone. Rather back it up to the cloud and make sure that it is data encrypted.
  • If a company asks for your proof of address and a copy of your ID online, take the time to research the company to ensure that they aren’t a scam.
  • Never throw your credit card statements with all your particulars on them in the regular trash.

in conclusion

The more aware and alert you are to cybercrime, the safer you can keep your personal details. Take the time to regularly change your passwords, back up your personal data to the cloud (encrypted), and never share your personal particulars with anyone.

What’s Coming to WhatsApp – New Features and Updates

What’s coming to WhatsApp in 2021? In October 2020 we gave you a sneak preview of the WhatsApp features and updates planned for users this year. It would seem that many of these updates have since been enabled, and a few more have been added. Let’s take a look.

Users can expect a deeper integration with Facebook and of course, the ability to function across various platforms including desktop, web, Android and iOS – something which the world has been waiting for with bated breath! The news that the deeper integration with Facebook will change the face of WhatsApps privacy terms has caused some backlash for the platform with recent statements appearing to contradict earlier assurances that message privacy will not be affected.

Should you be concerned about the privacy updates? Possibly, but you need to understand that it’s all really much of the same. WhatsApp has been sharing your data with Facebook since 2016 and importantly, none of your conversations and media will be shared under the new terms. Best bet – read up on the new privacy terms before accepting them but do it fast, the deadline for users is February 8th which is just around the corner!

With the new features and services mentioned in October, some users on Android and iOS, in beta versions have already been able to test the updates. The good news is that it seems to be a case of full steam ahead and we should see these features go live on the app sometime this year.

let’s talk about the new whatsapp features

Video muting
Users will soon be able to mute videos before sending them on to other users or adding them to their status updates. A small toggle will appear on videos that can be used to mute or unmute media.

Support for multiple devices
This support feature is two-pronged.

  • The first prong will allow users to sign into their WhatsApp account on up to four different devices.
  • The second prong will enable users to log onto their desktop or web version of WhatsApp without having their device nearby and connected to the internet. This feature is in the final testing phase. While WhatsApp hasn’t mentioned an actual release date yet, they have said that it will be coming in 2021.

Video calling from desktop and web mode
Currently, WhatsApp can be used online on a web application as well as a desktop application. Unfortunately, these versions have only allowed for text chats, but later this year, you could be able to video call from desktop and web mode!

Read later functionality
On vacation or sick leave? Now you can pop chats into the Read Later area and deal with them when you are ready. The messages sent to these chats will update, but you won’t receive notifications until you elect to.

keep an eye on the app for additional updates

2021 seems like it is going to be a good year for WhatsApp. While there’s much debate around the new data-sharing issues faced by WhatsApp users, most are willing to admit that the service has been a reliable and stable form of communication in our lives.

Watch out for the arrival of the new features and updates and let us know what you think of them when you have tested them out for yourself. If you haven’t taken the time to suss out the new privacy terms for using WhatsApp, now is a good time to do that. Make sure that you understand them and are comfortable with them. Alternatively, start looking at other chat apps such as Signal and Telegram.

5 Data Privacy Tips From Experts

Data privacy is not just a hot industry phrase at the moment. It’s been an important topic for many years because when it’s overlooked, it can end up costing a business a lot of money.

Protecting sensitive company data can be a challenge for both small and large companies, but it’s not impossible. VM Blog (Visualisation Technology News and Information) featured a great article detailing tips and advice on Data Privacy, provided by leading industry experts and we would like to share some of these tips with you.

The following 5 tips from industry experts could be highly beneficial to you and your business:

1. Choose difficult, strong passwords
When passwords are easy to guess, they are considered to be “high-risk” passwords. Too many people use the same password for every device or every account and that remains one of the biggest risks in the corporate world. Rishi Bhargava, who is the co-founder of security automation technology Demisto, said it best in her quote; “Make sure that employees use strong passwords and that they use different passwords across systems. A single password used across applications might be convenient, but it then takes just one vulnerability to compromise all of the employee’s accounts”. Rishi goes on to say; “Historically, lengthy passwords with a combination of letters, numbers, and special characters are less likely to get breached through brute force”. We couldn’t agree more.

2. Have a five-phase approach to Data Privacy
David Ginsburg, the Marketing VP at Cavirin (a cyber-security business) advises businesses to have a five-phase approach when dealing with data privacy. The five phases are to “Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, and Recover”. By following these five steps, you can act promptly when there is a data breach and ensure that you minimise the risk of it happening again. He also stated; “This approach is, in fact, a great baseline for organiations of any size, from the corner dentist to the Fortune 100”.

3. Make using VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) a company policy
Employees often work from home or use public spaces to connect to the internet, share information, and get work tasks done. Rishi Bhargava of Demisto advises businesses on the effectiveness of VPNs in the following statement: “Whether employees are working from home or any other public location, organisations should ensure that Virtual Private Networks or VPNs are used.  By combining encryption protocols and virtual P2P connections, VPNs protect any sensitive company data that employees might access while connected to non-enterprise public/private networks”.

4. Be prepared at all times – never let your guard down
One of the problems with privacy and data protection is that businesses tend to become complacent and let their guard down. They don’t expect a data breach and are very often unprepared for it. If you aren’t prepared, you are going to lose data and a lot of money too. Shahrokh Shahidzadeh, CEO of Acceptto, which is a Cognitive Continuous Authentication business, really does say it best; “Assume all of your credentials have already been stolen, even those credentials that haven’t been created yet. Due to the frequency of data breaches, we all must operate under the assumption that it’s only a matter of time that we become aware of the fact that our credentials and personal information are compromised”.

5. Ensure that all software is regularly updated
When software and its licenses and certificates become outdated, they are easier to hack. This is another one from Rishi Bhargava of Demisto, who provides excellent advice on the topic; “Devices with out-of-date software, certificates, and agents create conditions where compromise becomes easier and more likely. Organisations should monitor the version recency of operating systems, SSL certificates, and security software (such as firewalls and endpoint tools) on all employee devices and especially those that avail of remote work. Although any deficiencies along these lines won’t create security incidents on their own, they will weaken a device’s ‘immune system’. Attackers will usually scan devices for these deficiencies and target accordingly”.

Last Word

With these tips and advice from industry experts, you can start working on your own data privacy policy and ensure that your business doesn’t fall victim to the same problem that so many others have. Have a few tips of your own? Share them with us!