Thanks to home banking and payment apps that allow you to carry out complex operations with the simplicity of a tap on the smartphone, offering an unthinkable comfort until a few years ago, the management of the money has moved almost definitively online. This evolution, however, has opened new frontiers not only for users, but also for IT criminals, who have refined increasingly sophisticated techniques to access users’ savings. Threats such as Phishing, Smishing and SIM Swapping are in fact increasingly concrete and daily dangers. In this context, to know the enemy, adopt good digital security practices and understand i protection systems Arrangement is the only way to experience the digital revolution in total safety.
The main threats and how to learn to recognize them
The most common form of attack remains the phishing which manifests itself through fraudulent emails created to appear identical to those of their bank or other well -known services. These communications use an alarmistic tone (e.g. “your account has been blocked”) to push to click on a link that leads to a clone site, where you are asked to insert your access credentials, which are thus stolen. Similar variants are lo demishing (Phishing via SMS) and the Vishing (telephone scams in which a fake operator tries to extort information).
A more complex and insidious threat is the SIM Swap: In this case, the scammers, after collecting personal information on the victim, contact the telephone operator by impersonating it and, with an excuse, manage to obtain the transfer of his number on a new SIM in their possession. In this way, they can intercept all the safety codes sent via SMS, such as those to authorize bank transactions.
Good daily practices: the first line of defense
The best defense against online fraud starts from one’s daily behaviors. The first rule, not negotiable, is the activation of thetwo -factor authentication (2fa) on all accounts, not only on the banking one. This system adds a second level of protection in addition to the password, requesting a temporary code generated by an app or sent via SMS to be able to access.
Secondly, it is essential to abandon the habit of using simple or repeated passwords for multiple services. A Password Manager It is an exceptional tool that generates and archives complex and unique passwords for each site, requesting to remember only the master password to access it.
Finally, it is necessary to pay close attention to the networks to which you connect. Use public wi-fi networks or not protected to access your own online current account or to make payments it is extremely risky, since it exposes the interception data traffic by attacker.
How banks strengthen the protection of accounts
If individual responsibility is fundamental, it is equally true that credit institutions constantly invest enormous resources to guarantee the protection of its customers. Technology plays a fundamental role in improving the safety of an online current account. Modern banks implement Transactions monitoring systems based on artificial intelligence able to detect in real time anomalous or suspicious activities (such as a payment of unusual amount from a foreign location) and to block them in advance.
Access to banking apps is increasingly protected by systems of Biometric authentication such as facial recognition or fingerprint, which are much more difficult to replicate than a simple password.
In addition, the European PSD2 directive introduced the Strong Customer Authentication (SCA), which requires the use of At least two independent authentication factors To authorize most of the payment operations, making life much more difficult for scammers.
Mini-guide: what to do immediately in case of suspicious attack
The speed of reaction is essential to limit the damage, so if it is suspected of having been the victim of a fraud or having compromised your data, you must immediately follow some simple steps.
- Contact your bank immediately: Call the toll -free number dedicated to blocking cards and operations and explain the situation. The operator can block access to the account and the cards connected to prevent further unauthorized movements.
- Change all passwords: Change the password of the home banking and all other important services (email, social networks), especially if you use the same password on multiple platforms.
- Spread the voice and denounce: Notifying your contacts if the email or social account has been compromised, to prevent the scammer from using other people. In addition, you have to go to the postal police as soon as possible to file a formal complaint of the incident.
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