The Importance of Internet Safety

In order to understand why you need to safeguard your privacy and maintain internet safety standards, it is very important to be aware of the dangers or the risks associated with unsecured Internet access. Here some of the common issues in internet safety:

• Unauthorized Network Access or Hacking
  Unauthorized access is one of the major threats as far as internet safety is concerned. Network security consists of the provisions made in an underlying computer network infrastructure, to protect the network and the network-accessible resources from unauthorized access. Hacking means that people can hack your accounts, that is acquire your passwords and access your account. Once they have access to your account, they have complete control over all your transactions and can misuse your account for illegal or objectionable purposes. In case your online bank account is hacked, hackers can rob your money online as well.
• Phishing, Email Frauds and Spamming
  Phishing refers to the cases of online scams wherein people fraudulently acquire sensitive information by posing as a trustworthy entity via email or instant messaging. Often this information can include your important financial as well as personal contact details. The information can then be used for several illegal purposes. At times it can be sold to online advertisers as well. Online scams, which involve requests for your bank account numbers, passwords or any other sensitive information, are a menace over the internet. Spamming might be relatively harmless but it is just annoying since it floods your mailbox with unwanted advertising. Spammers can also sell off your address and phone numbers and you might end up getting bombarded with telemarketing calls and snail mail as well.
• Sexual Abuse, Paedophiles and Pornography
  The internet is flooded with illegal pornographic content, and sexual predators who are looking for easy victims. There have been several instances of paedophiles, who have trapped the children via chat, webcams and bullied them into meeting in person and abusing them. Internet pornography is a major threat for the people who frequently keep on posting their photographs and videos over the internet, since these can be misused and even posted on pornographic sites.
• Cyber-terrorism - Threats to National and International Security
  Several government sites contain important information, which is uploaded over the net. Even the government websites have security threats since people try and break into national and international security system to access undisclosed matters of national and international importance. In addition to this, other terrorist activities like internet extortions, or other criminal activities are also rampant in the virtual world.