Cyber Crimes
A cyber attack is when someone who knows a lot about computers and the internet tries to do bad things to other people's digital stuff. They might try to break into their computers, phones, or other devices without permission, like a thief sneaking into someone's house to steal their valuables.
These bad people might want to steal important information, like passwords or personal details. This information is valuable to them because they can use it to steal someone’s identity to sell to other criminals.
They might also try to mess up or damage someone's computer, just like a troublemaker might try to vandalize someone’s property in the real world.
Cyber criminals look for weak spots, like unlocked doors or windows in the digital world to get inside. They can find these weak spots by tricking you into clicking on special programs called "viruses" that can secretly take control of your device.
What is a Cyber Attack?
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Cyber criminals come in various types, and they all use their digital skills to cause trouble online. There are two main types of cyber criminals:
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Hackers, who are computer experts who instead of using their skills to help people, they do bad things like breaking into computers or websites without permission, steal information or cause damage. You could be exploring online when something like this could happen:
Who Are The Attackers?
There are also Scammers, who pretend to be someone else to trick people into giving them money or personal information. They can send fake messages or emails that look real to get people to click on bad internet links. These links can be dangerous because they can install viruses that can steal your information.
It's essential to be cautious online, especially when these ‘internet strangers’ try to contact you. Knowing about these cyber criminals helps us protect ourselves and make the internet a safer place for everyone.
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Avoiding hackers can be really tricky. After all, these are computer experts that know all sorts of tricks to break into computers.
However, there is good news! The very first thing you should do to help level up your devices defences is to turn on a feature called ‘automatic updates’.
These updates are created by security experts and are designed to improve the security shield of your device. Turning these on to ‘automatic’ means your device always has the latest protection from hackers.
Avoiding scammers can also be difficult but there is a golden rule to help you get started: If someone you don't know sends you messages, avoid them like you would a stranger in real life and tell an adult you trust right away!
Avoiding Hackers & Scammers
You’ve learnt about cyber-attacks, who the attackers are and what you can do to avoid them. Now it’s time to take some action in the real world!
Turn on automatic updates on your device. Watch the video below to learn how to do this on your device.
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And remember, if a stranger tries to contact you on the internet, make sure to tell an adult you trust.
Call To Action!
