Tips to avoid being scared to death by cyber criminals this spooky season

The spooky season is in full swing – the summer is over, and the temperatures have dropped. As the day gets shorter, the leafy streets and the smell of pumpkin spice latte are slowly telling everyone that the fall has arrived. However, the spooky season is not all about pumpkin patches and Halloween decorations. 

We may not be sure how helpful are the scary costumes when it comes to warding off evil spirits, but we may know a thing or two when it comes to spooking cyber criminals. Evil spirits don’t aim to drain your bank account, steal your identity, ruin your business, and destroy your life. 

Still, most online bad actors’ primary goal is to exploit cyber loopholes and swindle anyone who is unprotected or unwise enough to fall for their scams. Here are our five tips on spooking criminals away from you and your loved ones.

Freeze your credit

There have been so many data leaks over the years that your SSN and other sensitive information are very likely dangling around on the dark web.

When hackers steal credit card numbers, banks issue new ones with different numbers – but the government makes it extremely hard for people should they want to change SSNs.

You likely don’t get to buy a new car or a house or do transactions that require SSN often, so freezing your credit is arguably one of the best ways to spook the crooks. Keep it frozen and unfreeze it only when necessary.  

Don’t click on links in emails and text messages

There are a variety of scams that could reach you. All of them have one thing in common – they exploit a weakness. 

Users would accidentally (or on purpose) click on a suspicious link in a phishing email. Others might feel lonely enough to reply to a random person starting an online conversation and lose their lifetime savings in a pig butchering scam.

Whatever the weakness, try to hide it and show strength instead – that certainly is a way to shoo off the fraudsters. 

Antivirus software

Indeed, one of the best ways to scare off crooks is by having a proper defense system. Some antivirus software solutions are so good that they destroy any hacking attempts.

They hide your information when necessary; they help you stay untraced while browsing online; they prevent phishing emails from reaching you and block you from being able to visit suspicious websites.

The systems also run scans on your connected device and quarantine suspicious files.

Change your passwords frequently

Cybercriminals love to take advantage of old stolen password databases. You will be safe if you maintain good password hygiene and change passcodes every three months. Passwords that are twelve characters or more and contain numbers, letters, and special symbols are preferable. 

Fraudsters get less motivated if they deal with a long and strong password. Activating two-factor authentication also helps as it stops hackers from forcing their way into a bank account or a profile. 

Shop wisely

The spooky season also marks the beginning of the shopping season.

Apart from shopping only at recognizable online stores, an excellent way to spook bad actors is using credit cards instead of debit cards. Credit cards often have insurance, so you will likely get refunded even if you fall for a scam. 

However, if you’ve purchased stuff with your debit card and hackers somehow have managed to steal your card info, they could potentially drain your bank account, and the bank won’t be able to do much to restore the stolen funds. 

Make the spooky season even spookier for fraudsters by following the above tips. Keeping the bad actors away would give you more time to enjoy the fall festivities and prepare for the holidays.  

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Casino and hotel giant Caesars Entertainment reports compromised driver’s license and social security numbers of loyalty program customers.

Caesars Entertainment, the company operating more than fifty properties, including some of Las Vegas’ most significant landmarks, such as Caesars Palace and Paris Las Vegas, has been hit by a cyber-attack that compromised the sensitive personal information of many loyalty program customers. The incident resulted from a social engineering attack on a third-party IT support vendor hired by the resort giant.

The stolen information includes full names, driver’s licenses, social security numbers, addresses, and other personal information that fraudsters could exploit. According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, Caesars Entertainment paid a big chunk of $30 million ransom to the hackers after they threatened to release the stolen information. There is no evidence that the stolen data has been used to commit crimes, and the number of affected individuals remains unknown.

Caesars Entertainment discovered the attack on September 7th, 2023, and is currently cooperating with authorities to establish the identity of the perpetrators. The resort giant also stated that they have started notifying individuals who might have been affected by the cyber security attack. The victims are being offered credit monitoring and identity theft protection services.

Those caught in the spider’s web

Caesars Entertainment and all its high-profile properties on the Las Vegas Strip are not the only ones affected by hackers. Sin City generated interest among cybercriminals as another entertainment giant reported a similar incident. Bad actors also crippled MGM.

The cybercriminals responsible for the incident are either from ALPHV, also often referred to as Black Cat, or an organization called Scattered Spider. The attack was noticed by MDM on September 10th after doors and elevators in MGM facilities became unusable, as well as slot machines and ATMs.

MGM was forced to shut down computer systems for days, causing inconvenience to both employees and customers. Currently, there is no information on how the attack happened and if it is related to the attack on Caesars Entertainment.

The FBI is investigating the incident, and CISA is working with MGM to understand the impact of the cyber security breach, as currently, it is unknown what the hackers managed to steal from the entertainment giant. MGM’s official website was not operational for days.

Hackers might go after other high-profile players in Las Vegas, including Hard Rock International and Vici Properties, the organizations behind other Las Vegas landmarks, such as The Mirage, Luxor, and Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. However, neither Vici Properties nor Hard Rock International reported any recent cyber incidents.

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Hackers compromise Vitalik Buretin’s X account stealing $800k+ worth of crypto.

Hackers managed to hijack Vitalik Buretin’s X (formerly known as Twitter) account and tweeted a link that directed his nearly five million followers to a malicious link.

The founder of Ethereum is one of the most followed people in the crypto world, but even X’s tight security could not stop the hackers who managed to run away with almost $1 million worth of digital funds.

The now-deleted tweet stated that Vitalik invites everyone to celebrate Proto-Danksharding’s coming to Ethereum. This feature supposedly aims to significantly reduce the cost of transactions in the ETH ecosystem. Instead of getting access to a free commemorative NFT called “Proto” Vitalik’s hacked account forwarded the victims to a malicious site, inviting the victims to connect their wallets to claim the “free” NFT. This was obviously a scam, as crypto funds worth hundreds of thousands of dollars were drained. 

One of the first people to notice the abnormality in Vitalik’s Twitter account was his father, who tweeted that people should disregard the post as Vitalik was working on restoring access to his hacked account. Many others followed after realizing that the link was malicious and ingenuine.

Read also: Cryptocurrency Scams: What to Know and How to Avoid Them

The hackers likely managed to access Buretin’s Twitter account by SIM swap or using an inside person at X. The investigation is ongoing. Luckily, the social media account was restored only a few hours after publishing the fraudulent tweet. Many are now asking Vitalik to reimburse the victims. Vitalik Buretin has not confirmed whether he plans to find a way somehow to take care of the victims of the scam. X has not published a comment either. The price of ETH briefly dipped after the cyber incident. 

Being a public figure does not mean not suffering cyberattacks

Even the most knowledgeable tech people in the world are in danger of hacking. Vitalik Buretin did not register any monetary losses from this cyber-attack, but his reputation certainly took a hit. The fact that he is one of the most influential figures in the crypto industry does not insure him from cyber-attacks. On the contrary, it makes him a more attractive target to eager cyber criminals.

Vitalik Buretin is not the only high-profile person temporarily losing control of a social media account. Hackers often target celebrities to push scams. Phishing messages can come from everywhere and on different platforms. Proper antivirus software installed on all connected devices prevents users from ending up on malicious websites, even if the links come from public figures.

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We analysed the results of our Europe-wide survey on cybersecurity, focusing on the safety of children on the Internet and how parents act in certain situations in order to prevent and address the various dangers that can arise for their children.

• Of the total number of respondents, 1511 people have children under the age of 18 and answered our cybersecurity-related questions.
• Almost 8 out of 10 Europeans are very or fairly concerned about what their children might be doing when they go online.
• Almost 2 out of 3 Europeans (64.26%) have some form of parental controls installed on the computer or mobile phone that their children use.

Is cybersecurity unfinished business for adults?

With the return to school, children and teenagers are once again immersed in the digital world, where education and entertainment are intertwined online. Although the Internet offers countless opportunities for learning and fun, it also presents dangers that can significantly affect youngsters. 

In this article, Panda Security wants to highlight the risks that children can face online and provide advice on how to protect them while navigating the Internet, based on the results of a survey of European parents.

Things have changed quite a lot: children used to come with a loaf of bread under their arm, but now it could be said that they come with an electronic device. Our little ones have grown up with the Internet, while those of us who are not so little have had to learn about it “by force”, as it has crept into our jobs, our homes and our children’s education.

Although it is true that in the face of this situation adults have largely adopted an “adapt or die” attitude, now may be a good time with the beginning of a new academic year to go over those pending subjects which will help them to further improve their online skills.

Are we aware of the dangers that children can encounter when surfing the Internet?

From inappropriate content, to sharing personal information or suffering cyberbullying. Our little ones are just that, little, and if there is one thing that characterises them, it is their innocence and genuine ignorance of the dangers they can encounter on the Internet.

For them, the Internet is their playground and somewhere where they feel safe, as they not only play on it at home, but they also use it at school as a learning tool.  

And it is at this point that we adults come into play. You could say that our children are a football team and we are the coaches, and as coaches we have the mission to guide and get the best out of our players on the pitch, i.e. on the Internet.

Nearly 8 out of 10 Europeans surveyed with children under the age of 18 admit to being very or somewhat concerned about what their children might be doing when they go online (78.69%), with 13.5% are not very or somewhat concerned, and 7.81% not very or not at all concerned. Italy is the country whose citizens are the most concerned (87.72%), followed by Spain (83.63%). In Germany there is a higher percentage of respondents who are neither very or slightly concerned (23.01%), or not very or not at all concerned (15.03%).

We would like to recommend this post with some cybersecurity tips.

Cyberbullying and measures on how to deal with it

As we mentioned before, our children’s playground is now the Internet, and as bullying goes digital, a new term has entered our online dictionary: cyberbullying.

Cyberbullying consists of harassing, intimidating or humiliating another person through social networks, messaging applications or online gaming platforms.

In fact, 11% of Europeans say that their children have been cyberbullied at some point. Germany is the country with the highest percentage of respondents indicating that their children have been cyberbullied (15.95%), followed by France (11.96%), while Italian citizens are the ones who mostly deny it being a problem (73.35%). In the case of Spain, respondents indicate to a greater extent than other countries that they do not know if their children have been cyberbullied, and therefore cannot say for sure (23.79%).

“Talking to the person involved, going to the school to talk to the teachers, addressing the issue with the parents of the person doing the bullying, or bringing the case to the attention of the authorities are some of the most common reactions of parents when they learn that their children have been cyberbullied”.

In terms of the actions taken by respondents to deal with such a situation, we found different reactions.

The reaction of 38% of respondents who have children who have been cyberbullied was to talk directly to the person involved (38.15%). This was followed by talking to the teachers at school (31.21%), finding out who was behind it and talking to their parents (30.06%), leaving their child to fend for themselves (24.86%), reporting it to the police (22.54%), and ignoring the issue and putting it down as a child or adolescent issue (3.47%). 

Breaking it down by country, the French (47.27%) and Italians (36.11%) indicate that when faced with cyberbullying they spoke directly to the person, while Germans preferred to speak with the parents (40.38%), and in the case of Spaniards, they let their child defend for themselves (36.67%) or reported it to the police (36.67%).

Apart from implementing the previously mentioned measures, something we must not forget about is to talk to the victim, let them know that they are not alone in this situation and provide them with the necessary solutions, such as going to psychological therapy. Cyberbullying can be very hard for our children to deal with emotionally and it is our duty to help them to move past it.

Parental control tools to face up to the dangers of the Internet

It is clear that the aforementioned measures that parents adopt once they are aware of the dangers on the Internet are good, but this security can be further strengthened if we use parental control tools such as those we provide at Panda Security.

We offer online security solutions specifically designed to protect children in the digital age. These tools include content filtering, parental controls and online activity monitoring, which can be useful in maintaining a safe online environment.

It is crucial for parents to use parental control tools and to be aware of their children’s online activities. With 9 out of 10 Europeans typically monitoring their children’s online use, what if that 9 became 10 out of 10? This may seem like a small increase, but it could help to significantly reduce the levels of cyberbullying.

In addition to this, ongoing education about the dangers of the Internet and how to surf safely is essential for children to make informed choices.

Encourage responsible use

Something that should also be considered is the responsible use of the Internet, not only in terms of treating other Internet users with respect, but also in terms of the time children spend online. 

There are various WHO studies about the recommended maximum amount of time that children should spend on the Internet, and it is important to know how to disconnect in order to connect with the outside world. 

Encouraging responsible use can be done by setting time limits and as adults setting an example by limiting the amount of time we spend on our own electronic devices.

By educating children about online safety, setting boundaries and using parental control tools, we can help them make the most of the opportunities offered by technology while keeping them safe from online dangers. Together, we can create a safer and more positive online environment to accompany children on their educational journey.

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No one wants to hop online to look for a new chocolate chip cookie recipe only to discover they’ve opened the door for hackers to find their personal information.

That’s why it’s so important to ensure the websites you browse are secure. 

There are a few ways that you can check this. One is by looking for the lock symbol. Another is heeding the warning on “your connection is not private” windows. If you ignore error messages like the “your connection is not private” error, you are putting your online information at risk. To help you stay safe online, we’ll explain the reasons the “your connection is not private” error may be appearing on your screen and how to fix it.

What Does the “Your Connection is Not Private” Error Mean?

The “your connection is not private” error message is exactly what it sounds like — it’s a message from your browser that informs you that the connection is not secure. This means that if you aren’t using an antivirus or encryption, your device and the personal information it contains are open to hackers. 

To access a website, your browser must run a check on the server’s digital certificates to make sure that the site is up to privacy standards and safe to proceed. If your browser finds something wrong with the certificate, it will stop you from accessing the site. This is when you’ll see the “your connection is not private” message. 

These certificates are also known as Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), public key infrastructure or identity certificates. They provide proof that a website is who it says it is and not just some clever developers imitating another website. Digital certificates help protect your personal information like passwords and payment information.

When your connection isn’t secure, it’s usually because there is an error in the SSL certificate.

What is an SSL Connection Error?

An SSL error connection occurs when there is no secure way for your browser to open what you have requested. This means your browser can’t verify a website’s identity and will automatically block you from accessing the website to protect your device and help you avoid malicious websites.

An SSL certificate serves websites over secure HTTPS connections. You probably recognize “HTTPS” from the beginning of any link you use to navigate online. HTTPS is a security barrier used to safely authorize connections and protect data. 

There are a few different reasons an SSL connection error occurs:

• The certificate is missing or expired
• Your browser isn’t updated
• Your antivirus settings or date and time settings are off
• There’s a server issue

If it’s a server problem, you will have to wait for the website owner to fix it.

What a “Your Connection is Not Private” Looks Like on Each Browser

When you receive this error message, it will take you to a new page. Some browsers use simple messages, while others use codes and warning signs. Let’s look at some examples of how this message appears on common browsers.

Google Chrome

When you receive this error message in Google Chrome, it will take you to a page titled privacy error. From there, it will show a large red exclamation point and a “Your connection is not private” message. It will caution you that attackers might be trying to steal your passwords, messages, or credit cards. The message will give you an option to go back to the previous page, go to advanced settings or attempt to continue to the site.

Additionally, the page will have an error code, here are some of the most common:

• NET::ERR_CERT_COMMON_NAME_INVALID
• NET::ERR_CERT_AUTHORITY_INVALID NTE::ERR_CERTIFICATE_TRANSPARENCY_REQUIRED
• NET::ERR_CERT_DATE_INVALID
• NET::ERR_CERT_WEAK_SIGNATURE_ALGORITHM
• ERR_CERT_SYMANTEC_LEGACY
• SSL certificate error
• ERR_SSL_VERSION_OR_CIPHER_MISMATCH.

Safari

For Safari users, you will get a message on a new page saying “This Connection is Not Private” and it will tell you that the website may be impersonating the site you wish to access to steal your personal or financial information.

Mozilla Firefox

On Mozilla Firefox the message is similar, but rather than “private,” the message appears as “Your connection is not secure” and informs you that the owner has configured their website improperly. It will then give you the option to go back or go to advanced settings. 

Common codes that you might see with Firefox:

• SEC_ERROR_EXPIRED_CERTIFICATE
• SEC_ERROR_EXPIRED_ISSUER_CERTIFICATE 
• SEC_ERROR_UNKNOWN_ISSUER.
• SEC_ERROR_OCSP_INVALID_SIGNING_CERT 
• MOZILLA_PKIX_ERROR_MITM_DETECTED
• MOZILLA_PKIX_ERROR_ADDITIONAL_POLICY_CONSTRAINT_FAILED
• SSL_ERROR_BAD_CERT_DOMAIN
• ERROR_SELF_SIGNED_CERT

Microsoft Edge

If you are using Microsoft Edge, then you will see a message that looks almost identical to the Google Chrome message with the exclamation point and “Your connection isn’t private” message. If the certificate does not match the domain that you are trying to reach, then you will see the same code.

Common codes that you might see with Microsoft Edge:

• NET::ERR_CERT_COMMON_NAME_INVALID 
• DLG_FLAGS_INVALID_CA 
• DLG_FLAGS_SEC_CERT_CN_INVALID
• Error Code: 0

How to Fix “Your Connection is Not Private” Error

There are a few different ways to fix or bypass this error message for each browser. 

1. Double-Check the URL

If you get a connection error message, the first step is to double-check your URL. A simple typo in the URL could be preventing a page from loading correctly. If re-typing the URL doesn’t work, then you can move on to other solutions.

2. Reload the Page

Of course, this seems like the most obvious thing to try, but something simple can do the trick. Sometimes, fixing common glitches like your browser timeouts, internet connections, and typos can solve the problem. If your browser times out or you have a spotty internet connection, a quick reload may resolve your connection issues.

3. Clear Your Browser Cache and Cookies

While browsing online, your computer stores cookies that gather data and take up tons of space on your hard disk. When your computer is trying to process all of that information, it can really slow down

Try going to your settings and clearing your browser cache and cookies. Clearing all that information will speed up your connections.

4. Try Incognito Mode

The next thing that you can try is to enter incognito mode and attempt to access the same website. If the website is truly having security issues, then it should not work once you switch to incognito because this mode lets you browse without saving your history or cache. If the site still says “your connection is not private,” then you should try clearing your cache.

For Chrome: Click on the three vertical dots on the top right of your screen. Open the dropdown menu and select “New Incognito Window” or hit the keys command+shift+N.

For Mozilla Firefox: Click on the three lines in the upper right corner, then click “New Private Window” or hit the keys ctrl+shift+P.

For Microsoft Edge: Click on the three dots in the upper right corner, then click “New InPrivate Window” or hit the keys ctrl+shift+N.

For Safari: Click on “File” in the toolbar, then “New Private Window” to open a private browsing window or hit the keys command+shift+N.

5. Check Your Antivirus or Firewall

If you have an antivirus on your Mac or Windows device, you may still be receiving the error message because the antivirus or firewall is overriding your network. Test this issue by temporarily disabling the SSL scan feature.

6. Consider What Wifi is in Use

Using public wifi might give you a warning because it’s not secure. Some public wifi has poor configuration and does not run HTTPS. If you are uncertain about the security of your connection, look for a different wifi network or wait until you can browse safely at home.

The best way to protect your data while on public wifi is to use a Virtual Private Network (VPN). A VPN helps to hide your traffic and protect your identity while it exchanges encrypted data to and from a distant server. 

7. Check the Date and Time

Double-check that the date and time on your computer are correct. When they don’t match the browser, an SSL connection error may occur. 

How to Check Date and Time on a Mac:

1. Go to the Apple menu in the upper left corner of your screen. 
2. Click on “System Settings.”
3. Click on “General.”
4. From there, choose “Date & Time.”
5. Ensure the date and time are accurate.

How to Check Date and Time on Windows:

1. Right-click the date and time on the taskbar.
2. Click on Adjust date/time.
3. Verify the date and time are correct. 

8. Manually Proceed With Caution

If you’re still seeing a “your connection is not private” message and you’re in a situation where you must reach your desired website, do so with caution. Your browser shows you this message and advises against continuing for good reason. Choosing to proceed may put your personal and payment information at risk of being compromised. The time and money involved with this risk aren’t worth it.

If you follow these steps, you should be able to fix or bypass the “Your connection is not private” error message. Remember that you are receiving this message because the website you are trying to access is not deemed secure. If you fail to fix the issue, bypassing may help you find what you are looking for, but also risk your private information. There is software like Panda Security Dome that you can use to protect your digital life. Your online information holds great value, so be smart with your searches so your sensitive information doesn’t end up in the wrong hands.

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Like most people, you probably read customer reviews before you buy something online. In fact, 95% of people say that reviews are helpful when making purchasing decisions.

Realizing this, some sellers (and even major brands) have begun writing fake reviews – either to make their own products look better or to discredit their competitors. In fact, one study found that 31% of reviews left on Amazon, Walmart and BestBuy were fake.

So how can you spot these fake reviews?

Use a review checking service

Websites like ReviewMeta and FakeSpot use advanced language analysis to assess whether reviews are real or fake. Simply paste the URL for a product and click ‘Analyze’. Both of these sites provide a score indicating how many ‘suspicious’ reviews have been written. You will also see a warning if the product has received a high proportion of fake reviews.

ReviewMeta and FakeSpot are optimized for use with Amazon, but they can also grade many other popular shopping sites. Unfortunately this does mean that not every site or product can be analyzed in this way.

Don’t just rely on stars

You’ll notice that many products have been rated 4.5 stars or higher. Sometimes this indicates a truly great product – other times it is evidence of fakery. Take time to read some of the reviews, particularly those of average or lower scores to try and get a balanced cross-section of what people are saying.

Use your common sense

Very short reviews (‘Great!!’, ‘Excellent product’, ‘Love this item’) aren’t very helpful. There is also a high chance that these reviews are fake, used to boost the star rating of the product.

Again, take some time to read other, longer reviews that provide more information about the product and the customer’s experience.

Read professional reviews

Customer reviews can sometimes be limited by the writer’s lack of experience. Say you want to buy a camera; the customer reviews are usually written by someone with very limited experience of cameras – in fact they may have only ever used that one device. A camera expert will have worked with many cameras however, allowing them to give a more detailed description and to compare between devices to help you make a smarter choice.

Because of this, expert reviews are particularly important when making high value purchases.

Check the reviewer

When considering reviews, take a moment to check out the reviewer themselves. Have they written many reviews? Have they written a lot of reviews in a very short period of time? Always be wary of accounts that have only ever written a single review. And reviewers who write lots of evaluations in a short period are very likely to be fake.

If you can’t trust the person writing the review, you can’t trust what they have written.

Just like when dealing with malware, your best protection against fake reviews is to keep your wits about you. These five tips will help you spot a fake review – and avoid falling victim to scammers.

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Students and parents must know that ChatGPT and its variations come with a whole list of associated risks.

The short answer is yes; they are using ChatGPT at schools. Even though most AI tools strictly say that the minimum age to use ChatGPT is 18, many students bypass the rule and use ChatGPT to generate content later submitted as their own. OpenAI’s ChatGPT is one of many options; other tools are either based on ChatGPT or developed by OpenAI competitors, i.e., Microsoft’s Bing Chat and Google’s Bard AI. University students use it for assignments, too. It is an undisputed fact, that AI tools are being used by children in the USA.

ChatGPT’s risks

However, students and parents must know that ChatGPT and its variations come with a whole list of associated risks. Educational institutions are getting up to speed fast, and students could be accused of cheating if caught using AI tools such as ChatGPT. Even though there are no perfect plagiarism checkers yet, multiple tools out there could detect ingenuine content, and those tools are readily available to teachers. Such plagiarism checkers are often unnecessary as teachers familiar with their field of study can easily recognize made-up things and untruthful content. AI chatbots sometimes made-up dates, facts, and even articles, and students often learn this the hard way.

ALSO READ: Back-to-school cybersecurity tips for parents and children

Other associated risks with such tools come with the recently reported ‘dumbing down‘ of ChatGPT and other similar services. OpenAI has openly denied such claims, but many users noticed a significant decrease in the power/knowledge of ChatGPT over the last few months. Even though the ‘dumbing down’ is disputed by many, students must know that chatbots might not be a cure-all and would still need to research their topics thoroughly. Some people address chatbots as glorified typewriters unable to generate new content and ideas but only limited to using what’s already available. And the availability of AI bots is controlled by the companies’ owners.

Future-proofing must also be a concern for students using the new technology. Students must remember that if they’ve managed to pass an exam or submit an assignment at some point, this may fire back later. Universities and schools may one day return to reexamine the work and realize that the generated content was plagiarized, which could void a graduation diploma or a certificate. Students must know that ChatGPT is still highly unregulated.

ALSO READ: Back to school cyber security tips

Conversing with an AI-based chatbot may be exciting, but students need to know that the replies they receive might not be informative. Answers could be dangerously misleading. The bot might be pushing a political agenda and/or mispresenting facts. ChatGPT has shown political bias and has been biased on many sensitive topics. Often, chatbots notify users that they could potentially display inaccurate or offensive information… and this is the cold truth.

Students might feel tempted to take advantage of the tool and use it to write a book report to save time. However, actions have consequences, and it is possible that relying on the new, undeveloped technology comes with risks, and at least for now, reading the book and doing all the work the old-fashioned way is the safest method. Many lawyers and “journalists” have already learned this lesson the hard way.

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A new survey suggests that British citizens are embracing generative AI technologies like ChatGPT at a phenomenal rate

Sometimes the hype surrounding new technologies far outweighs the reality. But a new survey suggests that British citizens are embracing generative AI technologies like ChatGPT at a phenomenal rate.

When questioned by accounting group, 26% of UK adults have used a generative AI service, such as intelligent chatbots. This is equivalent to 13 million British citizens. And one in 10 Brits are now using AI tools at least once a day.

ALSO READ: Is the UK about to steal a lead in the AI race?

Not just for fun

A lot of people have been ‘playing’ with ChatGPT to see what the platform is capable of. However, one in 10 (4 million people) are using generative AI for work.

The ability to produce convincing text and images has helped workers become more productive by allowing them to perform common tasks like writing emails, creating artwork or conduct research more quickly.

Surprisingly rapid adoption

Often new technologies take a long time to experience widespread adoption. Analysts note that it took five years for smart speakers like Amazon Alexa, Apple HomePod and Google Nest, to attract similar levels of uptake.

ChatGPT has experienced no such difficulties as people have embraced the platform from almost the moment it was released to the public. Undoubtedly some of this success is due to the fact that no special hardware is required to interact with generative AI – you can access most services from a PC or smartphone app. Smart speakers require users to purchase specialist hardware – which can be quite expensive in the case of Apple devices. By lowering the barrier to entry, generative AI has overcome many of the problems inherent with other new technologies.

A word of warning

There was one finding in the Deloitte survey that should cause some concern. 40% of those questioned said that they believe generative AI systems always produce factually correct answers. Sadly, this is not true.

AI systems are only as accurate as the data used to train them. If the algorithm has received factually incorrect data during training, it is likely that the results of any queries will also be incorrect.

It is also important to note that some AI systems are only able to refer to historical training data. In the case of ChatGPT, no new data has been introduced into the system since September 2021 – meaning that any ‘factual’ information it produces could be two years (or more) out of date.

Exciting times ahead

The fact that British users are embracing generative AI is positive for the industry as a whole. User demand will drive new innovations and improvements, ensuring that the technology becomes even more useful – and valuable.

ALSO READ: Cybersecurity survey: 36% of Europeans don’t even have an IoT device

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When it comes to free apps and websites, most of these services rely on collecting – and selling – personal data. Google and Facebook are well known for building detailed profiles of everyone who ever uses their services, using that information to sell targeted advertising.

Generative artificial intelligence systems like ChatGPT are very similar – they collect as much data as they can to help improve the accuracy and performance of their algorithms. So as generative artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT become a part of our everyday lives, how can you maintain your privacy?

How can you maintain your privacy while using ChatGPT and generative AI?

Be aware of what you are giving away

Unfortunately, the terms and conditions of most online services tend to be extremely complex and hard to understand – often intentionally so. However, failing to read these documents means that you never really understand what you are giving away – or how the platform will use your data in future.

In the case of ChatGPT, any information you type into the chat prompt will be stored and analyzed to help further improve their service. You can probably assume that any generative AI platform will do the same. So you should be very careful about sharing sensitive personal information with these systems.

Everything is vulnerable online

As the recent data breach at the Police Service of Northern Ireland has shown, even the most secure, sensitive IT systems can be breached. Although the AI providers invest time and money into securing their systems, there will always be a risk that they too will be targeted by hackers. And if the criminals manage to break into the generative AI platform, they may also steal your sensitive personal information.

Again, you must be very conscious and careful about the information you share with generative AI systems – and what may happen if that information was leaked or stolen.

Adjust your privacy settings

Not every generative AI tool offers privacy settings, but you must use those that do. Both Google and Microsoft expect artificial intelligence to be an integral part of their services in future, so the privacy tools for their AI services are included with the controls for the rest of your account.

This means that you can choose to have data shared with Google Bard automatically deleted periodically for instance. Similarly, Microsoft allows you to review your search history and delete anything (or everything) you no longer want to share.

By using the trash can icon at the bottom of the ChatGPT window, you can immediately delete the contents of your chat when you have finished. You can also choose to prevent any of your inputs being saved in the Data controls setting. Obviously OpenAI suggest you don’t disable this setting – but it is the only way to maintain full control of your data.

As always, the best way to protect your personal data is to stay alert – what information am I sharing and how could the generative AI system use it in future. If you have any concerns at all, it’s probably best not to use the system until you are sure you are safe.

The post How to protect your personal data when using ChatGPT and generative AI appeared first on Panda Security Mediacenter.

As August draws to a close, British students have been receiving the results of their A-level exams. Naturally their attention is now shifting towards the new semester and what they will be studying at university.

This year universities have recorded a rise in applications to study IT-related courses. UCAS, the University and Colleges Admission Service which oversees university place allocations in the UK, reports that IT applications have increased by almost 10% since 2022.

AI is driving an increased interest in undergraduate IT studies

Applications to study IT courses have increased steadily since 2019. UCAS chief executive Clare Marchant said she believes the 2023 increases are driven by “the rise of digital and AI”.

Marchant went on to say, “We know that changes in the world around us translate into increased demand for certain courses, as we saw for economics post-2008, and for medicine and nursing during the Covid-19 pandemic.” She credits the growing public conversation around technology and artificial intelligence for increased interest in computing courses.

Vanessa Wilson, of the UK University Alliance agrees, “The rise in the popularity of computing may well be a response to increasing awareness of the role of technologies such as AI, as well as a strong desire from students to develop what they see as future-proof skills.”

Are digital skills the future?

Software engineering has been the most popular computing course, with applications increasing by 16% since last year. Pure computer science degrees are up 11%, computer games and animation up 2% and artificial intelligence (AI) up 4%.

The chief executive of the British Computing Society, Rashik Parmar commented, “Teenagers in the UK know that AI will change the world forever; it shouldn’t surprise us to see this soaring demand for computing degrees”.

Increased interest in computing and AI disciplines is good news for the UK. The British government has recently announced plans to help the country become a world-leader in artificial intelligence technologies and disciplines. But to make these plans work, there will need to be an increase in the number of skilled workers – which is why the rise in IT degree applications is so important.

There was some slightly disappointing news however. Only 18% of applications were made by women. This means that although this figure has grown by 1% since 2023, computing and IT remains a male-dominated industry.

And although 95,000 people applied to study IT courses, this is still far below other subjects. In fact, computing is just the seventh most popular field of study. Business and Management related degrees remain the most popular in the UK, along with design, creative and performing arts courses, medicine, social sciences, biological and sports sciences, and engineering and technology.

But the increase in IT interest is welcome – and seems likely to continue in the years to come.

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