KUALA LUMPUR: Cybersecurity Malaysia has raised the concern of online safety with a fresh baseline study to assess the level of online safety awareness among students and parents.
It said the exponential rise of online activities, particularly among students could potentially put them at risk of cybersecurity threats.
The cybersecurity body said it is critical to develop a digitally resilient generation that can defend itself against cyberattacks.
The Cyber Security Awareness Baseline Study Among Students and Parents 2021/2022 shared the same finding as Kaspersky that WhatsApp and YouTube were amongst their preferred services.
Increasingly, cybersecurity continues to be the top concern in Malaysia. According to Kaspersky, in 2019, about 13,000 reported cybercrime cases, and up to February 2022, there were already 3,273 reported cases. The cybercriminals also continuously prying their eyes on victims and the country's top leaders are not spared.
Kaspersky Security Network (KSN) data shos that Q2 2022 saw a downward trend in web threats, in comparison with thesame period last year at 11 million and 28.9 million respectively.
The improvement demonstrated how Malaysians in general were more aware of avoiding fake websites or infected links shared via SMS, emails, and even phone calls.
Local threats also saw improvement with fewer attacks detected in Q2 2022 on malware spread through removable USB drives, at 5.6 million.
"It is an encouraging sign that the Malaysians are getting back at work, at schools and able to return to their normal daily lives. The KSN data illustrated an important uptake for Malaysia, as we know the traditional cyberthreats awareness is higher now. We believe users are more careful about what links to click and what not. But still, awareness and action are two different things. We urge everyone to install security apps on their mobile devices which plays a crucial role in providing a safety net against these rampant social engineering attacks like phishing," said Kaspersky's general manager of Southeast Asia, Yeo Siang Tiong.
Cybersecurity Malaysia, meanwhile, also highlighted that there is no 100 per cent security, as a strong country or organisation would be the target of the attack in a matter of time.
"We concur with Cybersecurity Malaysia that no one remains safe from cyberthreats so we should work together as said in the Merdeka theme this year. For our part, our team is constantly educating our customers, partners as well as public on the latest cyberthreats and the trends to ensure that everyone can use technology and stay secure online," added Yeo.
Kaspersky's advice
- Do not login to sensitive accounts in public. Anytime you are on a public network, limit your mobile device usage to activities that do not reveal any of your sensitive information.
- Avoid suspicious emails and websites. Ransomware is a commonplace on mobile device, where the cybercriminals will block access to the device and demand a ransom. The best way to avoid these attacks is to be smart about downloading apps. Stick to official stores, websites. And, if an email or message looks suspicious, do not open it.
- Conduct research on any mobile apps you want or been asked to download. Before you download and install any mobile apps, besides downloading from official stores, do check the app and app developer have well developed terms of service, clear contact information, strict app developer criteria, and a history of providing legitimate content.
- Scan the file before installing with a mobile antivirus solution like Kaspersky Security & VPN.
- Check permissions. If the app demands too much, try to find something similar with more modest requests.
- Disable installation of unknown apps. Remember to change your settings back after installation. Do not leave your phone open to malware.
- Update your apps regularly because security updates are usually given by batches.
- Install antivirus or internet security apps such Kaspersky Internet Security for Android. Consider this an investment in your personal and financial security.