Cyber

The digital domain

by Mark Rowe

With the alarming recent figures that one in ten people is now the victim of online fraud, it once again highlights how issues of personal security become increasingly important as we live a greater proportion of our lives in the digital domain.

But whilst many of these statistics include high-profile instances of hackers gaining access to personal details in banking and social websites, it’s also true that there is much that can be done on an individual level to minimise the threat from the online fraudster.

In particular it’s been notable to see how ‘phishing’ – where a fraudulent email is sent in order to trick people into revealing personal information – is showing a marked rise in the UK. Often these phishing scams target specific groups such as students, but its rise also signifies how the fraudster is becoming evermore sophisticated in their operations.

However, there are many simple tasks that can be carried out by the individual to minimise the threat of a malicious attack. Whilst there is a debate about how to choose the perfect password, it’s widely agreed that a regularly changed combination of upper and lower case letters and numbers will offer a strong level of protection against even the most determined of threats.

But as individuals increasingly use the internet to carry out a range of financial transactions, there have also been improved measures to increase security when making payments. Part of the reason as to why PayPal has become such a bit hit at online gaming sites like mrsmithcasino.co.uk is because it’s a ‘soft’ electronic currency that offers an extra level of protection when making deposits and receiving payments for the games of roulette, poker and blackjack.

This is why there has been a marked rise in other digital payment companies like Neteller, Skrill and Paysafe who’ve endeavoured to match the convenience of the online realm with a variety of extra security measures that can help try and minimise fraud and settle disputes.

Furthermore, simply by checking the browser address bar, internet users can see if a website is secure or not by noting whether the address has a ‘https’ and a padlock symbol that signifies that the site is not thought to be malicious.

But despite the technological innovations there is still a marked reliance upon the individual to carry out a few simple procedures to ensure their online security. And as long as people are changing their passwords, not giving out personal information, and not using public Wi-Fi for financial or personally sensitive transactions, then we should all be free to carry out our online shopping and casino gaming with peace of mind.

 

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