Feeling Safe On Your PC, Laptop Or Smartphone: Measures To Take To Reduce Your Vulnerability To Cybercrime

In anticipation of ‘Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2025’, in October, we look below at key actions you can take to protect yourself from cyber criminality.

National Cybersecurity Awareness Month (NCSAM) is an annual global campaign that focuses on raising awareness about the importance of cybersecurity. This month-long initiative encourages individuals, organizations, and communities to learn about cybersecurity risks, adopt safe online practices, and enhance their overall digital security. NCSAM provides valuable information, resources, and guidance to help protect against cyber threats and promote a secure online environment.

Cybercrime is any criminal activity that either targets or uses a computer, a computer network or a networked device; and we are all vulnerable.

It can take many forms such as email and internet fraud, identity fraud, cybertheft (the unauthorized acquisition of financial or card payment data), cyber extortion (demanding money to prevent a threatened attack), selling illegal items online, ransomware attacks, and many more.

Types of activities that are commonly recognised as being ‘cyber incidents’ include:

● breaches of a system’s security policy that affects its integrity or availability

● attempts to gain unauthorised access to a system or to data

● changes to a system’s firmware, software or hardware without the system owner’s consent

● malicious disruption or denial of service.

All are damaging and can lead to real costs to you and, if you work, to your employer. But there are ways to reduce your personal risk to these threats at relatively little cost.

Below are key actions you can take to protect yourself and your family:

1. Ensure your software and operating systems are up-to-date by always installing security updates (‘patches’) when instructed.

2. Use strong passwords - but also change them regularly, don’t use the same ones for everything, and don't share them!

3. Make sure your computer has up-to-date anti-virus, anti-spyware and anti-malware software installed.

4. Use Multi Factor Authentication (MFA) when accessing sensitive information ensuring, at the very least, that your device is password protected.

5. Never open attachments or click on links in emails from unfamiliar or suspicious sources - and be mindful about what websites you visit.

6. Beware accessing Wi-Fi in public places - don’t access sensitive personal or professional information using open public Wi-Fi.

7. Take measures to protect yourself against personal information theft, including carefully managing your social media settings.

8. Have an ongoing dialogue with your children and other IT using family members - they are vulnerable also.

9. Finally, keep an eye on bank statements, credit reports and other financial records - ensuring nothing out of the ordinary is happening with your finances.

If you feel you have been the victim of a cyber incident, report it to Action Fraud by calling 0300 123 2040 between Monday to Friday 8am - 8pm or go to www.actionfraud.police.uk/reporting-fraud-and-cyber-crime. Or you can sign up to their online reporting tool at reporting.actionfraud.police.uk/login. If you find yourself under cyber attack, call 999.

To find out more about cybercrime, and what actions you can take to protect yourself, go to www.kaspersky.com/resource-center/threats/what-is-cybercrime or uk.norton.com/blog/how-to/how-to-recognize-and-protect-yourself-from-cybercrime.

By Ed Hodson

Citizens Advice South Warwickshire - Citizens Advice working in partnership across Warwickshire