How to protect yourself online in 2022

The digital world is rapidly evolving and so too are cyber threats. As we move into 2022, what are the most important trends in online security? What do you need to be doing to protect yourself and your privacy and security as you spend more and more time online?

To answer those questions, we spoke with Leigh Tynan, Director of TELUS Online Security. TELUS Online Security is Canada’s most comprehensive protection for your devices, online privacy and identity.

Q: In 2022, how would you define online security?

LT: Our world has changed. Cyber crime and the criminals perpetrating it have evolved, and we need to evolve accordingly. There is no real distinction now between our life and our digital life — they are completely intertwined. Most people think that if they have antivirus installed on their devices, they are secure. But that’s not enough anymore. According to Purplesec, cybercrime is up 600% due to the COVID 19 pandemic. To really protect yourself in our digital world, you need layers of security to keep you safer as you go about your daily life, and to help give you visibility to the threats you can’t see.

Q: What are some of the most prevalent threats?

LT: Phishing attacks continue to be one of the most common cyber security threats to the average person. Email threats, disguised as well meaning correspondence, account for 91% of attacks according to Deloitte. It used to be simple and obvious to identify what’s fake, but that’s not the case anymore. Think about it. You place an order on Amazon and are waiting for it to arrive when an email comes in that looks like it’s from Amazon saying your package is delayed. So you click the link, and are brought to what looks like the Amazon website. You enter your login credentials and boom…just like that you’ve fallen victim to a phishing attack. Social engineering has become far more sophisticated and a major driver in the massive increase in ransomware attacks. Hackers can pose as people you know well, either personally or professionally, and it’s easy to be tricked into thinking the emails and links you’re getting are coming from a trusted source. Always pause and think first before you click.

Q: What are some of the common cyber security mistakes people make?

LT: According to Microsoft, 73% of people use the same passwords across various platforms. While this can make it easier for us to remember the number of usernames and passwords we use on a regular basis, this bad habit poses a huge risk if your password becomes compromised. Additionally, as I mentioned before, people are still clicking on random links they receive in emails. And lastly, the unsecure nature of public WiFi causes a great source of vulnerability. Any time you are connecting to WiFi from a public place, you should be behind a VPN and be cautious about sharing personal information.

Q: Friday, January 28 is Data Privacy Day. How can we protect our privacy online and safeguard ourselves against cyber threats?

LT: There a few simple steps we can all take to stay safer:

• Use strong passwords: Make sure you use unique and complex passwords for each of your accounts
• Ensure your software is always updated: Enabling automatic updates on all your devices ensures your software is always up to date
• Avoid clicking web links: Remove the risk by never clicking a link in an email and only visit trusted websites
• Use a VPN: Secure virtual private networks (VPNs) allow users to hide their IP address and browse the internet with an encrypted connection

There are services available now that can support you in staying safe online. TELUS Online Security offers device security, password manager, VPN, dark web/credit monitoring, restoration support and reimbursement coverage. It’s a layered solution focusing on prevention, monitoring, restoration and reimbursement.

Protecting your privacy and staying safe online is a 24/7 job and Data Privacy Day is a great reminder to take action. Even if you choose a free solution – something is better than nothing. It is important for all of us to stay constantly cautious, taking the time to learn about the risks. Most people think it can’t happen to them, but in today’s world, that’s not realistic.

Q: What are some key programs that TELUS Online Security is working on in 2022?

LT: Threat awareness is an ongoing priority. A lack of understanding creates more fear and impedes action. We want to simplify cyber security, so people feel confident taking the necessary action to protect themselves. We are working to enhance our digital capabilities to help educate the market with helpful tools like the recently launched free dark web scan, allowing anyone to see if their personal information has been exposed.

We are also evolving the product itself, with a heightened focus on families. In the near future, we will be adding social media monitoring and family plans geared to protecting kids who have their own devices. You can’t do a credit report until you are 19, but young people are living digitally long before that age, so it’s important to give them and their parents the ability to monitor their personal identity information before it’s too late.

Q: In the two years you’ve been with TELUS Online Security, are there any stories that have really stuck with you?

LT: I’ve heard so many stories from people impacted by cyber attacks. The first one is my own story. As part of this journey, I did a dark web scan. The report came back informing me that my information was compromised in five breaches (including social media, applications and loyalty programs) and was available on the dark web where cybercriminals can purchase it for the purposes of identity theft. That really hit home. I consider myself an intelligent, tech savvy person, and this happened to me, and I didn’t know it. One of my team members had 14 vulnerabilities that he didn’t know about. Another person on our sales team had 31! It was an important lesson for us and served as a reminder that you won’t necessarily know when your personal information has been compromised, and to stop using the same password across multiple sites. It’s one of the simplest tips out there but the importance of it can’t be underestimated - keep your passwords unique and complex, and don’t reuse them. Password managers can help make all of this less cumbersome for you.

A friend’s son was trying to sell an old smartphone in an online marketplace. He was 19 and fairly tech savvy. He found a potential buyer, and they went back and forth about the price. The buyer made it seem like he was a kid and getting help from his mom. He wanted to pay for the phone in installments and by e-transfer. My friend’s son received a form to enter his banking information for the deposit, except he ended up unknowingly transferring money to the scammer instead. The bank couldn’t do anything to help him because he willingly shared his information. That bad actor was able to get a hold of his name, bank account, password and email. He had also clicked a link from this person, so he could have been exposed to malware as well. The most innocent things can end up being the most harmful. That’s why it’s so important to be vigilant all of the time and question everything.

Q: Any final thoughts?

LT: So much of our lives are now lived online. We need to educate ourselves on the risks, be more aware of our behaviours online and take the appropriate steps to protect ourselves. It’s all about taking a layered approach and acting with urgency. TELUS Online Security makes it simple.

To stay informed on the cyber safety tips to keep you and your family safe online, subscribe to the TELUS Wise newsletter and learn more about how TELUS Online Security can keep you and your family safe by visiting telus.com/OnlineSecurity