Beware of Cybercrime: Avoid These 4 Bad Browsing Habits
The rapid growth of Indonesia’s digital economy has brought new challenges in the form of increased cybercrime threats. Massive online transaction activities, digital shopping, and extensive internet use via mobile devices have become fertile ground for criminals to launch various fraud schemes.
Based on data from the Indonesia Antiscam Center (IASC), there has been a significant surge in reports related to illegal activities in the digital space over the past two years.
Ironically, these major risks often stem from digital habits considered trivial. Simple actions such as clicking suspicious links or using weak passwords can open the door to data theft. Here are four bad habits when using a browser that you must be wary of:
Many users habitually leave dozens of tabs active without closing them properly. Besides burdening device performance, tabs that remain open can run trackers or load advertisements in the background unnoticed. Closing unused tabs is a first step to reducing privacy risk exposure.
For the sake of access speed, many people immediately approve all cookies without reading their settings. In fact, some cookies are used to track cross-site activity to collect user interest data. This data can be misused by criminals to devise highly personal and convincing phishing schemes.
Extensions are practical, but not all are safe. Some malicious extensions can monitor online activity and even steal login information. It is highly recommended to only install extensions from trusted sources and review the access permissions requested.
Postponing updates because the browser “seems fine” is a fatal mistake. Regular updates usually bring security patches to close newly discovered vulnerabilities. Without updates, your device becomes an easy target for malware and ever-evolving cyberattacks.
Expert Perspective: Michael Tegos, Product Privacy & Security Advocate at Opera, emphasised that online security depends heavily on user control. “Small habit changes like updating your browser or being more selective in accepting cookies can help significantly reduce the risk of exposure to cybercriminals,” he said.
As technology becomes increasingly embedded in daily life, awareness of cybersecurity must become a priority. Digital security is not just about the sophistication of the technology used, but also about user discipline in maintaining healthy habits while surfing the internet.