Browse the net, to use apps – But do it safely

The Advertising Standards Council Of India (Asci) and design firm Parallel HQ, have recently reported that 52 of 53 Apps surveyed in India were found to be using dark patterns for marketing, with health tech online platforms topping the list followed by travel and fintech. Dark patterns are deceptive user interface practices that can mislead or trick users into doing something they originally did not intend or want to do.

To know more about dark patterns, see deceptive. design, a website dedicated to the subject founded by Dr. Harry Brignull. Brignull has dedicated his career to understanding and exposing the techniques that are employed to exploit users online, known as “deceptive patterns” or “dark patterns”. Harry is a distinguished user experience (UX)director, passionately committed to exposing deceptive design practices. In his spare time, Harry works as an expert witness in lawsuits that involve deceptive patterns. He has also written a book -Deceptive Patterns. You can read some chapters free online in the same web site.

52 of 53 Apps in the dock is almost 100%. That is dangerous and shocking. The warning is a bit late, but better late than never.

There is a lesson for us here and it is time we took it seriously. True, Covid-19 catapulted India a decade or more, into the future. WFH or work from home became the buzzword as did UPI. We were forced to adapt to the online ways and did we do it aggressively! In the process, we let down our guards. There were thousands of apps, everyone had many of them.

It’s very much like the fine print we miss reading on a package, because it is too small. The biggest names in the business misuse the trust that people have, to take them for a ride. The biggest app such as Facebook has multiple suits against them all over the world. (Did you know the word zuckering – derived from you know who – is meant to be suckered into doing something you normally wouldn’t do!). A peek into deceptive. Design’s Hall of Shame gives you thousands of examples and notes from different people –real people – who have been taken for rides on the apps of respective companies. From airlines to white goods, from grocery stores to online shopping apps, your mobile phone – everyone is out to fool you.

Direct Attackers

Your personal data and safety are at risk with attempts to access your data, such as credit card information or identity details which will be used to defraud you.

Phishing is one of the ways you are liable to be scammed. Phishing attacks are the practice of sending fraudulent communications that appear to come from a reputable source. The attackers send scam emails (or text messages)that contain links to malicious websites. The websites may contain malware(such as ransomware) which can sabotage systems and organizations. This is also a form of social engineering that manipulates users into divulging information or taking actions they normally wouldn’t.

So, beware you click that unknown link.

Clicking on a link might enable it to be downloaded.

Virus attacks will kill your work and personal life if youare not careful. They can compromise your files, passwords, accounts, devices –practically your life.

A denial-of-service (DoS) attack is a type of cyber-attacking which a malicious actor aims to render a computer or other device unavailable to its intended users by interrupting the device's normal functioning.

Ransomware: As the name suggests, this type of threat targets and encrypts your files for ransom.

Indirect Attackers

While everybody uses a Trojan horse to mislead you and promptyour gullible actions, the biggest attacks can happen just about anwhere.

Here is what you do to stay safe:

·       Neverclick on any link unless you are sure it is trustworthy.

·       Thinkof the adage: Think before you ink. The new adage is: Think before you click.

·       KeepYour Browser and Any Plugins Updated

·       Hackersoften target vulnerabilities in web browsers, which is why the companies thatmake them release regular updates to patch any vulnerabilities. So, update.

·       Use a Browser With Advanced Privacy and Security Features

·       Block Pop-Ups

·       Pay Attention to URL Security Icons

·       Warning pop-up when you open a link that isn't secure

·       Use an Ad Blocker

·       A lot of websites use ads in a manner that interrupts and bogs down your browsing experience, making miss-clicks extremely hard to avoid. Some may even have malware attached to their ads, which can lead to dangerous content.

·       Enable “Do Not Track” in Your Browser

·       Clear Your Web Browser Cache and Cookies

·       Turn on Private Browsing

·       Use a VPN - Virtual proxy networks, or VPNs, help you maintain your privacy by encrypting your data and internet requests before they ever hit the internet.

·       Use a Password Manager

·       Ensure You Have Up-to-Date Antivirus and Firewall Protection

·       The most reputable antivirus software solutions currently available use big data and AI to monitor every running application and detect attacks before they happen.

·       Safe web browsing practices should be every web surfer’s priority, especially since the majority of our important information is stored in the digital world.

·       Using the right browser, the right features, and the right VPN can be the difference between disaster and safe web browsing.

·       Before you download any app, ask yourself, is it safe?

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