What is Cyber Savvy and How to Become One?

  • 5 mins read
Updated on January 30, 2024

According to Statista, four in ten internet users globally have claimed to experience cybercrime. Due to the frequent rise in cyberattacks, it has become more important than ever to become cybersavvy to survive the Internet’s turmoil.

cybersavvy

It is important to control your IOT devices the right way, adhering to digital security is crucial, but what is being cyber savvy? No worries; this blog post will help you learn how to be one and what its importance is in your daily lives.

Define Cyber Savvy? — Embrace Digital Safety

Being cyber savvy means safeguarding your personal information over the internet. In this fast-paced, fully digitally connected world, staying secure from cyber threats and attacks has become crucial. So, being cyber savvy generally refers to gaining knowledge and skills to access safe internet surfing.

Unfortunately, cyberattacks can lead to heavy losses and data compromises. However, becoming cybersavvy involves teaching a good understanding of detecting threats and scams and following the best practices to protect oneself and others.

All online tools and digital platforms should be used responsibly by being mindful of digital etiquette and critical thinking.

Importance of Being Cyber Savvy

Undoubtedly, the pandemic has forced every individual and business to somehow increase their online presence for convenience. Still, it has also opened doors for cybercriminals to exploit vulnerabilities and steal sensitive data.

Importance of being cybersavvy

Going by the meaning of cyber savvy, you should stay knowledgeable, cautious, and skilled before using digital space. 

Furthermore, being cybersavvy can be important for many reasons, and some of them are mentioned below:

Protection Against Threats and Scams

Undoubtedly, the rate of cybercrime is increasing with the growth of internet users. It can take any form, like phishing, identity theft, ransomware attacks, and more. However, blocking scam likely calls or ignoring spam emails can help prevent these malicious attacks and keep you safe online.

Shield Your Personal Information

Your personal and professional data is the main target of cyber attackers, as it holds much value. But by being cybersavvy, you can practice safeguarding all your personal and professional information. Nowadays, it is possible to type in a phone number and track location of someone, and your location could also be tracked from Google Maps. With all this going on, it is important to shield your personal information, you should know how to check and see if your phone is being monitored.

Preserve Your Financial Security

Cyberattacks can lead to serious financial repercussions for the victim. On the other hand, being cyber savvy meaning can help you recognize potential breaches like scammer phone number lookups. and fake social media account identification. Moreover, businesses should also use tight cybersecurity measures to secure their finance-related data. 

Understand Cybersecurity Practices

Introducing cybersecurity programs is crucial for both individuals and businesses, as it helps to gain the required knowledge to address and manage cyber threats before it’s too late. Hence, cybersecurity can be challenging in a world full of new technological advancements. 

Therefore, by being cyber savvy, you can set a positive example to empower future generations. To your knowledge, the month of October is observed as National Cybersecurity Awareness Month (NCSAM) globally, with an agenda to enhance its knowledge in public. 

Suggested Read: Top 14 Codes to Check If Your Phone is Monitored

5 Must Approaches of a Cyber Savvy Individual

Every cybersavvy individual has some approaches in mind to ensure the responsible use of technology.

Approaches of a cyber savvy individual

Some of them are mentioned below:

  • Keep Track of Online Activities: To navigate the online world harmlessly, you should always keep track of your online activities. It is safe to consider this before clicking suspicious links and naked URLs from unrecognized sources. Moreover, always check the history if someone uses your device. 
  • Privacy Awareness: Internet enthusiasts take their privacy concerns seriously to avoid any related losses. As said, you must follow digital etiquette that includes monitoring language and reviewing your post before sharing it with the public on social media platforms. Hence, they should not contain any sort of information that is related to your assets.
  • Strong Passwords Protection: Using strong and complex passwords and regularly updating them can help keep your accounts safe. Also, don’t forget to apply two-factor authentication security to your account, as it provides top-notch security. 
  • Encrypt Sensitive Information: Regardless of its size, every business or even every individual owns a valuable treasure that needs to be protected from hackers. It includes bank details, card information, employee personal data, business strategies, and many more.
    Encrypt sensitive information

    For that reason, consider encrypting data by searching for the best programs on the market. Hence, they help decode your data into unreadable codes, which makes it difficult for attackers to untangle it. 

  • Install Antivirus Protection: Antivirus programs are generally designed to protect your system from malicious software attacks and viruses. Ultimately, they do their regular automatic scanning to detect any suspicious activities on your device. A thorough business research feature and price will make it convenient for you to meet the demands and requirements of your businesses. 

As the definition of cyber savvy says, to develop the required knowledge and skills to stay safe online, the approaches add the remaining factors to becoming cybersavvy. 

Dos and Don’ts When Browsing Online

The internet has become a basic need for all, but on the other hand, it is fragile too. Reports of frequent ransomware attacks have alarmed people to pay attention while using the Internet. Some dos and don’ts when browsing online are mentioned below:

DosDon’ts 
✅ Limit personal information over the internet.❌ Forget passwords and usernames on browsers.
✅ Ignore Naked URLs and fishy clickbait.❌ Download from unknown sources.
✅ Use strong passwords and update them regularly.❌ Set same passwords for different websites.
✅ Enable Two-Factor Authentication wherever you can.❌ Talk with random strangers on the internet

As said, prevention is better than cure. Consider following all the important norms while using digital space to protect privacy.

Courses to Become a Cyber Savvy

Cybersavvy programs and courses aim to teach the required skills and knowledge to consider before navigating the online space. It includes discussions through presentations, videos, real-life case studies, and more.

In addition, there are some platforms and websites that offer valuable courses and resources to stay vigilant against threats. 

Some of them are mentioned below:

  • Cyberwise: This platform offers online courses, resources, and material to help the children in 8-18 age bracket stay aware of the potential risks of internet surfing. 
  • Onguardonline.gov: It is a website that offers resources and materials to help you understand online privacy, how to protect it, and how to detect online scams and threats.

By referring to the resources and materials provided by these platforms, you can gain practical knowledge of cyberspace threats.

Conclusion

Due to the ongoing technological advancements on the internet, understanding its nature is a continuous process. So, to maintain security, you must stay informed of emerging technology, threats, and best practices.

Therefore, it is suggested never to look out for signs of threats and scams. Consider investigating it, or if it seems serious, report it to the concerned authorities. 

Read Next: Top 15 Best WhatsApp Spy Apps for Android and iPhone (Free and Paid Both)

FAQs

Ans: Cyber wellness refers to the safety of Internet users. It involves knowledge of online behavior to protect oneself from cyberspace.

Ans: Cybersecurity is the practice of protecting computer networks, mobile devices, and data carrying access to the Internet from malicious attacks and threats. 

Ans: By being cybersavvy, you can stay updated on the latest trends and practices of cybersecurity to protect yourself and others from the repercussions of dangerous threats.

Ans: There are some of the most common scams which every individual should remain aware of. Those are phishing, online shopping scams, spam calls, and emails with fraud links.

Sources
About Author:
Divya Sharma
Computer and Software Expert
I am a Bachelor’s in Computer Science from Shyama Prasad Mukherji College (University of Delhi) dedicated to sharing tips and…
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