30 years of the worldwide web: watch out for these threats

The web blows out 30 candles today. On March 12th 1989, computer expert Tim Berners-Lee worked out a proposal that would form the basis for the worldwide web as we know it today. At the moment, the www has more than 1.6 billion websites and more than 4 billion users.

Unfortunately, the web has also become a playground for cyber criminals over those 30 years. Consequently, the importance of online security has only increased.

According to the World Economic Forum, these are some of the biggest threats in 2019:

• Phishing: whether via e-mail, text message, or WhatsApp message, phishing remains one of the most successful ways for cybercriminals to find sensitive and banking data of unsuspecting mouse-clicking users. According to security experts, barely 65% of all URLs can be trusted! The best advice we can give you is to think twice before you click or share sensitive information.
• Mobile malware: smartphones are becoming increasingly interesting targets for hackers. Through false apps, unsafe websites and phishing messages they try to infect their victim's device and steal sensitive data. Protect your device and the data on it: make regular back-ups, install the necessary updates, only download apps from the official stores and don't carry out sensitive transactions when browsing on a public WiFi.
• Cryptojacking: in this form of cybercrime, your computer or mobile device are used to "mine" virtual money (cryptographic coins) unbeknownst to you. Your device is infected when you visit a website with a hacked advertisement: this advertisement may contain a JavaScript code that uses up to 80% of your processor capacity. Cryptojacking often goes unnoticed. The only noticeable effect is that your computer will work a little or a lot slower and produces more heat. On cryptojackingtest.com you can test whether your computer has been infected. Install a virus detection program and an adblocker to outsmart this threat.
• Attacks on smart devices: by the end of 2020, there will be more than 7 billion IoT-devices. Unfortunately, the security of smart devices is not yet good enough, as proven by research conducted by Test Aankoop. Hackers are able to exploit vulnerabilities to access your devices or even your home. Strong passwords for your WiFi network, accounts and devices and keeping them up-to-date are essential to keep hackers out.