By now, we’re all a bit coronavirus weary–maybe even a bit anxious to find out how things are progressing as states and businesses begin to re-open. There are endless offerings of websites, apps, news stories, etc. to stay current. Now more than ever, it is critical to exercise caution in your consumption of news. There is a lot of malicious information on the internet, exploiting an already-tense situation. Here are some tips to help keep yourself safe in your digital space:
- Do your research! If you want to download a COVID19 tracking app – or any app for that matter – find out if it’s a legitimate download. This one in particular is very informative (and safe to click on)! However, someone has created a mimic of the tracker app containing Malware that if downloaded, will steal credentials and other personal data. If an app or website asks you to download something, be wary.
- Hover over hyperlinks to view their source. Example: You get an email with a link to an interesting article headline in the South Florida Sun Sentinel. You hover your cursor over the link and the URL says https://www.sunn-sentine1.com/. Then you look up the actual publication online and the real website is https://www.sun-sentinel.com/. Do you see the difference? Hackers will make very subtle differences in malicious links. Had you clicked on the link in the email, you likely would have compromised your data.
- If you receive a suspicious email do NOT click on any links, nor share personal information. Cybercriminals are counting our eagerness for information during this pandemic. See tip #2!