"Digital Literacy is the only measure to protect people from cyber attacks. " In this technologically advanced world, almost every individual is carrying at least one of the smart devices (smart phones, smart watches, smart tv, smart fridges, sensors and trackers, etc.) and connected to the internet one way or another. And with these devices we’re generating tons of data (personal data - birthday, hometown, national identity, jobs, current location, marital status, health data - blood pressure, oxygen level, sugar level, etc., financial data - ATM/Credit Card details, transactions, etc.) and we share them over the internet. Though the devices and systems are making our life easier and better, have you ever thought what devastation can be caused if this data is accessed by bad people. The destruction can be unimaginable. And the people in developing nations are more vulnerable to such scams and hacks. Because people have just started to use mobile/internet banking (Paypal, Paytm, eSewa, fonepay, etc.), they don't follow the best security practices and are unaware of such scams. So, even if the systems and apps are highly secure, the end user is highly vulnerable to such attacks and scams. Thus, Digital Literacy is the only measure to protect people from cyber attacks. (Digital Literacy means educating people about the possible scams and hacks and security best practices to follow for protecting their digital data.) So, with the aim of raising awareness, I’ll further discuss the different types of hacks, best security practices to follow, real incidents of getting scammed, etc. in layman's terms (very simple terms).

1. Cybersecurity
Simply, Cybersecurity is the measures taken to protect yourself and IT
(Information Technology) systems from digital threats/attacks.

2. Types of Cyber Attacks

3. Phising
Impersonating official websites like (Facebook, Instagram, etc.) and Stealing
Credentials.

4. Viruses, Spyware and Ransomware

5. Keylogger Injection
Recording your every keystrokes and sending to Hacker.

6. Brute Force
Trying Credentials (Username and Password) repeatedly to gain access.

7. Automated Brute Force

8. DOS (Denial of Service)

9. DDOS (Distributed Denial of Service)

10. This Could Be The Result

11. Evil Twin Attack - Fake Free Wifi

12. IOT Attacks

13. Juice Jacking
Stealing Data/Information from your Phone via USB.

14. Self Baby
Creating a Fake Baby with All the Credentials to Launch an Attack in the Future.

15. Social Engineering

17. Scams
● Credit Card Scams
● Romance Scams
● Email Scams (Business Proposals, Billionaire Died, etc.)
● Lottery Scams
● Call Center (Tech Support) Scams

18. Real Example
Of
Getting Scammed in Nepal

20. How Vulnerable Are We?

21. 36.7% People in Nepal are Connected
to Internet.
13 Million Social Media Users.
Source: datareportal.com, January 2021

22. “Nearly 10.15 Million are using Mobile
Banking Services.”
Which is One-third of bank account holders in country.
Source: kathmandupost.com, July 15, 2022

23. How to Protect Yourself
From Getting Hacked?

24. 1. Update Your Software and Operating Systems
2. Use Anti-Virus Software
3. Use Strong Passwords
4. Keep Your Passwords Secret
5. Implement Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
6. Change Default Username and Password
7. Do Not Open Email Attachments from Unknown Senders
8. Do Not Click On Links from Unknown Senders
9. Always Check URLs (Links) before logging in or sharing credentials
10.Avoid Using Unsecure Wi-Fi Networks in Public Places

25. VIJAY THAPA
“Software Developer & Digital Creator”
www.vijaythapa.com