Why online security is important
When we spend so much of our time online, keeping our online lives secure is as important as keeping the things in our physical world safe. Good online security is a must-have to keep yourself and your whānau safe and protected.
Why it matters
We live in a world where an increasingly large part of our lives are online. Our bank accounts and tax returns, our group chats, family photos and private messages, our shopping lists and work calendars – they are all on the internet, available for us to access anytime, from anywhere. But these things that are important to us are also valuable to attackers, and just like our belongings in the physical world, they need to be kept secure.
It can happen to anyone
Our online lives can be more vulnerable because attackers can be anywhere in the world and come up with sophisticated scams to get our information if it’s not secure.
While it's easy to think cyber criminals and hackers go after large organisations and don't have much to gain from us, the truth is they will try and get their hands on what they can.
Thousands of people every year report losing significant sums of money from online attacks.
Not only do people lose money but recovering from an attack can also be a big hassle, stressful and emotionally harmful for people who have been targeted.
Sometimes recovery can take a long time.
Taking responsibility
Research conducted by CERT NZ shows that New Zealanders are aware of online security threats but consider "cyber security" to be technical and complex.
Many New Zealanders and New Zealand businesses also either see it as something for large organisations to take care of, or do not know where to start.
Own Your Online is all about us taking responsibility for our own lives online. One step at a time.
How to protect yourself
Cyber security might sound complex, but we can help you get started with the basics. Then you can add extra layers of protection, depending on what your risks are.