Your cyber security requires awareness

Software manufacturers can play their part, but as individuals we must protect ourselves against fraud – online and in the real world.

We live in a digital age, where technology has been accelerating a rapid transition from normal interaction to online communication, from print to online publishing, and from cash to computer transactions. While this has made our everyday activities easier and speedier, reliance on the internet has opened the doors to fraud and cyber attacks.

As The National reported yesterday, the Dubai Police department of anti-economic crimes said that there were 133 cases of fraud in the first five months of this year, costing the emirate's economy up to Dh609 million. These figures don't even include cyber fraud. The department pointed out a greater number of fraud cases have been carried out online amid the growing use of the internet to make deals. Overall, more than 1,400 cybercrime cases were recorded in the emirate last year, ­almost double the number of cases in the previous year.

Experts have warned that our dependence on social media increases cybersecurity risks, particularity because many companies are reluctant to invest more on their software's security. As Robert Bigman, a former official from the US Central Intelligence Agency, told the paper, commercial decisions always win out over security in many software companies, so most personal and professional computers lack good security systems.

While it’s true that software companies have a responsibility to design software around the needs of people and their security, individuals should also be more aware of the negative consequences that can result from their increasing cyber activities, when they are interacting and purchasing products and services online. Putting one’s life on the internet can cause serious harm as criminals take advantage of digital technologies to carry out their illicit activities.

Dubai Police launched an awareness campaign last year to educate people about potential online dangers, including fraud and defamation. Taking security measures to protect personal accounts, such as changing passwords regularly and not exchanging sensitive or secret information with other people online, is important to prevent getting into such situations. When facing potential crime, it is always better to act proactively before it’s too late.