Lucky In Love - Cybersecurity Tips for Online Dating
Cybersecurity
Today is Valentines' Day! Whether this is a day where you share love with your significant other, your family, or yourself via self-love, love is most certainly in the air. Over 40% of Americans actively use dating sites, and today may likely involve some conversations with others on these sites. The popularity of online dating has grown year over year recently, partly due to so much of our lives being shifted online for over two years, but the online dating world has been successful for many for some time now. As of early 2019, over 17% of marriages began due to a relationship which sparked over online dating. If you are single and looking, this is most certainly a good option to pursue. Don't allow yourself to be blinded by love though, as there are some cybersecurity considerations to be aware of when looking for the one online.
Verify the identity of the person you are talking with -- Though the beginning stages of dating may have some unsuccessful attempts at love, hopefully you find the one you are meant for early on in your online dating journey! Before letting yourself fall too far or share too much, be sure to verify that your sweetheart is who they say they are -- the best way to do this is to meet a person for a date. This will help you to avoid catfishing -- the form of phishing where a malicious actor portrays themselves as being entirely different people to who they are, including false images, descriptions, and more. Additionally, it helps you to avoid the threat of moving the conversation to another platform like social media or WhatsApp, which is a common tactic for a malicious actor.
Be careful what you share in your online conversations -- Though you may feel a strong connection with the person you are speaking with online, it is important to be cautious with the information that you share online. Even if you are sure that the person who you are speaking with is legitimately who they claim to be, dating apps can be hacked just as any other site. Malicious actors could breach the company whose site you use and then have access to all of your conversations.
Do not send PII or money to someone you haven't met -- Numerous reality shows showcase all too well what happens when a person who is smitten with the person they think they know online decides that they should start sharing some more than just conversations with that person. Some individuals send money, bank account information, email logins, and more to people who they think they know well. In addition to the previously listed risk of a hacker gaining access to this information, this is an incredibly poor cybersecurity practice and can result in severe loss should the relationship go South. If you want to share gifts with your beau, it is best to share those in person or at least verify that they are who they say they are before doing so. Still never ever share your passwords, no matter how you met your significant other.
Do not let these potential risks deter you from finding your love online -- just be aware of them in order to protect yourself while dating online.
