Ritesh Chopra, director, sales and area marketing, India and SAARC, NortonLifeLock.

How can people protect themselves digital devices,

Cybercrime has moved from just virus attacks to privacy and identity theft. Usually you turn off your PC after using it, but you never switch off your mobile phone, which you use for everything nowadays. your bank balance, NEFT transfer, EPFO ​​details, etc., come in the form of SMS; You share your boarding pass or Aadhar card on WhatsApp; You make an appointment with the doctor or get the food delivered through the app.

Therefore, you need comprehensive security software on all your devices. About 90% of people understand that they need an anti-virus on their PC, but hardly anyone has security software for their phone. this is the first thing you should do invest when you buy the phone. For example, Norton 360 is available for three devices at an annual fee of only Rs 999 and has several features like SMS filtering. This allows the software to scan the links you receive in SMS and alert you if it contains any malicious Trojans or spyware.

What risks should people be aware of when using apps on their phones?

According to a survey conducted by Norton a year ago, an average Indian has 48 apps on her phone. Most of the people never log off these apps and they are not aware of the permissions given by them. You may have provided access to the microphone, camera, and location services that you don’t even need to share in many cases. When you’re surprised that you’ve started getting ads for something, it’s because there are apps that are constantly listening to your conversations or tracking your browsing history. To keep an eye on this, you should download an app advisor that will alert you when there is a fundamental change to an app, such as alerting you to all apps that have access to your microphone and camera.

What are the big ‘don’ts’ that people should follow online?

Never download an app or extension without checking the authenticity of your browser. Some of these may contain embedded malware, like a keylogger program, that allows hackers to access your keyboard. When you type your password, they will know the strings of the keys you pressed and can then hack your password. Also, don’t trust every profile you see online. Check the antecedents of the person and check more about his social profile. For example, I can create a profile of an HR manager on LinkedIn, and ask for your salary slip with a lucrative job offer.

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