October is a month dedicated to a subject that, if ignored, can be very scary, namely cybersecurity. With the Rugby World Cup happening in Japan, a global sporting event said to be the most tech-enabled to date, the growing issue of cybersecurity will also come to the fore.
In a recent Hypertext media article Simon McCullough, major channel account manager at F5 Networks lists a few tips for those attending this year’s Rugby World Cup, and other large-scale events, so as not to fall victims to cybercrime. These tips can also be applied to all of us:
- Limit public WiFi use or use a private network or virtual private network (VPN) with data encryption capabilities.
- Ensure devices have the latest operating system and patches installed.
- Question messages with links or attachments – a trusted brand wouldn’t immediately ask for personal data or financial information.
- Use trusted websites with the HTTPS prefix and avoid search engine-assisted ecommerce. Spelling mistakes and design flaws are obvious warning signs, but they are getting harder to spot.
- Only download apps from trusted sources.
“Whatever happens at the rugby world cup, it will be intriguing to monitor cybercriminal activity in the coming weeks. By all accounts, Japan is well prepared, and the tournament could even yield the protective blueprint for future events of this scale,” McCullough points out.
However, what happens on the field for the South African team is critical for all South Africans and hopefully will imbue us with a sense of national pride, as happened in 1995 and 2007.
Click here to read the article.
