Protect your online self this Cyber Smart Week 8-12 October

We live in an increasingly digital world, where everything is connected. Our relationships, our jobs, our finances — everything is online. And, while there are some real benefits to digital life, any weaknesses in our online connections can make us vulnerable to a cyber security attack.

Cyber attacks are becoming more and more frequent over time, and they can affect anyone. It’s not just large organisations or businesses who are being attacked — smaller businesses and everyday New Zealanders are at risk too.

Cyber attacks are generally opportunistic

Many cyber attacks aren’t specifically targeting any one person or business. Instead, attackers look for easy ways to gather as much personal information online as they can, and then use it to exploit people’s weaknesses and vulnerabilities. They’re not picky about who they target. That’s why you need to do everything you can to protect yourself.

Think of securing your online self like you’d secure your home. You wouldn’t lock the front and back door of your house, then go out and leave the bathroom window wide open — anyone could get inside. It’s the same online. You need to make sure you plug any gaps in your security to make sure you’re not leaving your bathroom window open online either.

Luckily, there are a few simple changes you can make that will help you protect your personal information online - find them here.