Understanding online security risks

Reasons to be careful online

We’re using the Internet more and more to interact with each other and with businesses. The number of applications and social media platforms is constantly growing, and there is an ever-increasing amount of personal data shared online.

While most people and apps are good, there are also many malicious users and content. Cyber criminals constantly adapt their techniques and use social engineering, emotional triggers and clever deception to take advantage of users. It’s important to be aware of these potential threats and make informed decisions about using online tools to reduce the chance of becoming a victim.

Who criminals target

A key motivation for cyber criminals is financial gain. Criminals conduct attacks to steal financial information, such as account or payment card information, and use it to steal identities and defraud victims. While some attacks use unique personal information to target an individual, others are random attacks against a large number of people with the hope that a few will fall victim to the deception. Anyone can be a target.

Common types of attacks

Cyber criminals are very resourceful and use many different ways to get what they want. These can include:

• Email scams (phishing) – using deceptive emails to acquire personal information
• Mobile phone scams (smishing, SIM swapping) – sending fake text messages to gather personal information or using deceptive techniques to steal customer account information
• Landline phone scams (vishing) – tricking a victim into disclosing personal information over the phone
• Internet scams (viruses, malware) – deceiving a victim into downloading software that lets the criminal acquire personal information or lock devices or data until a ransom is paid

Bell’s commitment to you

Protecting our customers is a priority for Bell and cybersecurity is an important part of our business. We want to help you remain safe whenever you use our products and services to navigate and interact online.

At Bell:

• We monitor our network 24/7 for suspicious activity and we have security capabilities embedded in our network.
• We protect our network and our customers from millions of attacks daily.
• We design and build our products and services with security in mind.
• We work collaboratively with governments and industry groups to exchange cybersecurity threat information.
• We have safeguards in place to securely handle personal information and protect your privacy, and we will never request personal information in our communications.

Effectively securing your online presence requires not only using services from a trusted partner like Bell, but also being more knowledgeable as a user.