‘Think cyber security’

Tom Muleya Fraud Insight

When people think over and over again about something, it becomes part of their lives, and they become masters at it. Your mindset is very critical in year 2022 and beyond in winning the war against fraud and cyber related crimes.

The festive season is almost over and its back to usual business again. As long as you have some money to protect and some sensitive information that you cannot afford to lose, ‘think cyber security’.

Thinking cyber security is a concept of security mindset.

A security mindset is the ability to be able to look for and identify potential or actual compromise. The compromise could be of a process, system, application, operating system, platform, infrastructure and even a (human being) person.

A security mindset can also be defined as a peculiar mix of curiosity and paranoia that turns life into s perpetual game of asking “what if questions, such as the following: What if I lose my personal information?

What if I am hacked? What if I lose my money? So a security mindset makes a person to be alive to the many security threats that surround human beings.

Within any security system, it has been discovered that a human being is the weakest link or point. Human beings are inherent with certain weaknesses that are exploited by fraudsters and cyber criminals.

Have you ever noted that any time a victim falls prey to fraudsters; there is notable human error or compromise. Due to human weakness, everyone then need to “think cyber security” in order to minimise incidences of fraud.

As we are just entering the second week of the New Year 2022, take note of the following suggested measures that will help you to outsmart cyber criminals.

Put on a cyber security mindset. This entails thinking over and over again about your personal or business safety, and protection of personal or corporate information and data. You need also to ask the “if questions” such as; what if I am hacked?

Always remember we are living in a world of digital era. That means human beings are open or vulnerable to unending possibilities of cyber threats or cyber bullying.

Never engage in a behaviour that will further widen your degree of vulnerability, favouring fraudsters to financially prey on you.

Avoid complacency. This means that careful thought should be made before and when clicking on your mobile phone and electronic (computer) gadget.

Always take reasonable steps to keep your card, Pin and Password a secret, safe and secure all times during the festive season.

Have a security plan as you begin the year. This will help you to mitigate the risk.

Always remember your data, sensitive information, and IT resources have a value to malicious third parties and hackers. So you need to put controls in place to manage that risk or vulnerabilities to that information.

As soon as you suspect or discover any unauthorised activity on your account, quickly advise or report to your respective bank so that the Bank can take necessary measures to prevent or limit fraud or theft on your account.

Do not quickly respond to Whatsapp messages that purport to have been sent by a well-known member of a Whatsapp Group soliciting for some favours.

Avoid following links and login in to unfamiliar websites; you may end up being hacked.

Be your own police detective. This will help you make early detection of acts of crime when about to be perpetrated against you.

Take responsibility, think cyber security and avoid being a victim of cyber fraud in year 2022”.

For your feedback, WhatsApp line: 0772 764 043, or e-mail:[email protected]. Tom Muleya is a Detective Assistant Inspector working under the Criminal Investigations Department, Harare