This month, we’re celebrating 10 years of helping Canadians get cyber safe. From tech enthusiasts to first time internet users, from kids to older adults, we’ve provided tips and advice on how to protect yourself online. A lot has changed in those ten years. But our mandate of informing Canadians about the latest cyber threats and how to prevent them has stayed the same.
Here’s a look at the ways the cyber security landscape has changed over the past 10 years and how we’ve adapted to give Canadians the best cyber security guidance.
Technology
It’s no secret that devices have come a long way in the last ten years. After all, who would have guessed we’d have internet-connected toothbrushes? Remember when we needed to use a number pad to type out our lingo-filled text messages (WYD BFF & I R SK8TING L8R 2NITE)? Despite these rapid changes in technology, our guidance for how to protect your new devices has stayed the same.
We have checklists for securing your new devices, tips for creating strong passwords to protect those new devices and advice for keeping your gadgets up-to-date. Our guidance helps keep all of your tech protected against the latest threats, no matter how the devices themselves change.
Online activity
In 2021, there are so many new ways to communicate online with our family, friends and colleagues. Instead of relying on phone calls to get in touch with our loved ones like we did in 2011, we can use any number of social media apps, video calls or other digital tools. The COVID-19 pandemic really showed us all how far we’ve come with everyone video calling each other to stay connected while many of us working and attending school remotely.
As we use the internet in new and different ways (like making viral dance videos and sharing pictures of our food), Get Cyber Safe is right behind you with the latest guidance to stay safe online. We can help you spot phishing scams and phony emails, protect your digital identity online and shop online securely.
Types of attacks
Just as technology and online activities have evolved, cyber criminals and the scams they use have evolved, too. Plus, Canadians are spending more time online and have more devices in our homes than ever before. This increased access to the internet also means we are more exposed to cyber threats than in the past.
Attacks like ransomware and script spoofing are becoming more frequent. As new scams pop up, Get Cyber Safe is keeping Canadians updated on the latest tricks used by cyber criminals. Whether it’s through new attacks like spoofed websites or twists on more classic scams like phishing, we will always be there with the latest ways to keep you and your data safe.
Conclusion
Over the past 10 years, Get Cyber Safe has kept up with the changing technology around us. As devices got smarter and smart devices grew in popularity, we offered tips on how to protect your digital identity and personal data when using them. As people started working from home, we gave advice on how to work from home securely. No matter what the next ten years brings, Get Cyber Safe will be right there staying up to date with helpful advice. Although the technology and threats have changed since we started 10 years ago, our commitment to helping Canadians hasn’t.