Raising Awareness on Internet Security

With the rising penetration of PC and Internet usage in Singapore, it is inevitable that the number of cyber attacks is also on the increase. While corporations and private sector organisations are generally better prepared and equipped to handle such attacks, there are still uninformed and unaware Singaporeans who are exposed and vulnerable to unscrupulous hackers and cyber crime.

Unknowingly, one may be exposed to security vulnerabilities and end up as the weakest link in the chain of infocomm services provided by businesses and government agencies. Hence, there is a need for all Internet users to be armed with basic and essential security measures to combat cyber threats.

IDA has been promoting FASTEN UP!, a set of five essential security practices aimed at educating Internet users in getting equipped to protect themselves from security threats. This is part of the Infocomm Security Awareness Programme under the Infocomm Security Masterplan, which is a three-year strategic roadmap to guide efforts in protecting the critical information infrastructure in Singapore and maintain a secure infocomm environment.

FASTEN UP! is an acronym for the following five core security practices:-

Firewall
Install a personal firewall and learn how to use it correctly.

Anti-virus
Install anti-virus software and update its signature regularly.

Scam
Beware of emails and websites with great offers that sound too good to be true

TEN

Update
Update operating systems and application software regularly.

Passwords
Create strong passwords and keep them safe.

To learn more about Fasten Up! and how you can protect yourself, visit
www.singcert.org.sg/awareness