Kaspersky Labs Australia and New Zealand managing director Andrew Mamonitis said that consumers are quick to assume something is legitimate because it carries a familiar logo.
“People aren’t accustomed to checking things like hyperlink details before clicking. The concept of time in the online space is further reduced; people expect to access file or webpages almost instantly without going through a series of checks and balances,” he said.
He agreed with Hue that education needs to be placed at the heart of IT security policies. “Programs which promote a culture of awareness about issues of safe surfing, attachment etiquette, and broader online usage policies are important across all stages and levels of information security.”
Mamonitis added that programs require teaching end-users about how they are often unwitting agents of security breaches and how central they are to protecting against threat technologies and vectors.
“With scammers trying to stay ahead of the game, it’s important to keep up-to-date on the latest scamming techniques being used,” he said.
For example, malware creators can simply join an online forum or conversation and send out disguised scams under the latest trends and topics.
NSW Fair Trading also provided some tips on how to avoid scams:
- Don’t respond to offers, deals or requests for your personal details.
- Never send money or give credit card and account details to people who make unsolicited offers for your information.
- Don’t rely on glowing testimonials.
- Always type in the address of the website of a bank, business or authority you are interested in to ensure you are logging into the genuine website.
- Never use phone numbers provided with unsolicited requests or offers as it will probably connect you to fraudsters who will try to trap you with lies.
- Don’t reply to unsolicited text messages from numbers you don’t recognise.
- Always look up phone numbers in an independent directory.
- Never dial a 0055 or 1900 number unless you know how much you will be charged.
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