Safety at home

You have done it all—secured your cellphone with a pin, downloaded software updates, installed antivirus protection. You have done well! However, this still does not provide 100% protection against cyberattacks.

Many breaches result from the use of usernames and passwords that were obtained through social engineering tactics. Often the victim only realises that their login credentials had been stolen weeks or months later when the cybercriminal goes into action with a ransomware attack, cleaning bank accounts or stealing information that could be used to harm the victim. Your best protection against this risk is to make double sure that they don’t get access to your accounts and confidential information by requiring a second authentication factor in addition to a strong password.        

Another risk to be aware of is related to devices in your home that you never suspected could be used as a springboard for an attack against you. These include security cameras, personal assistants, smartwatches and even air fryers that connect to the internet.

Visit the Information and Cybersecurity pages at https://www.up.ac.za/itsecurity to read more about two-factor authentication and how to secure your personal internet of things. Look out for the hashtag #CyberJab. The site can also be reached via the UP Mobile App from the Cybersecurity icon available under General Information.

University of Pretoria

https://www.up.ac.za/itsecurity

[email protected] / studenthelp@up.ac.za

Tel: 012 420 3051