Editorial: Promoting good cybersecurity habits

Many individuals are not aware of the threats posed by cybercriminals, who are all too happy to exploit this reality.

Cybercrime affecting large businesses and national governments, generates numerous headlines. However, when vulnerable individuals become victims, they suffer in silence as they are often overwhelmed by a feeling of guilt and shame. 

A recent conference organised by NGO Victim Support Malta revealed some worrying statistics on the growth of cybercrime in the community.

Between 2022 and 2025, 374 people fell victim to investment fraud, resulting in €5.6 million in losses.  Romance scams defrauded 67 individuals, with one woman aged in her 70s losing €500,000.

Businesses can also fall victim to cybercrime.

Police inspectors from the Economic Crime Unit confirmed that a publicly owned listed company transferred €250,000 to criminals who posed as a UK company that was due a payment as part of a five-year contract. While large businesses can afford a dedicated cybersecurity team, the average person is on their own when it comes to securing their computers and devices. This leaves many thousands of potential targets vulnerable to cyberattacks, which can range from the type of data theft and ransomware used to target organisations, to more personal attacks that aim to cause chaos and distress.

As cybercriminals continue to ramp up their activities, it is essential to make sure that people in their homes can be protected. Small businesses also need all the support they can get to prevent falling victim to scams.

International cybersecurity research confirms that lower-income and vulnerable audiences are disproportionately impacted by cybercrime.

Understanding the impact that cybercrime has on vulnerable people in the community is critical as online access becomes essential in modern life.

The disparity between sectors of the community feeling safe online and the emotional impact of threats on already vulnerable individuals is unacceptable.

As technology and internet accessibility become more entwined in our day-to-day routines, our financial and emotional lives are more significantly impacted by cybercrime. Cybercrime is growing day by day. Its impacts are hard to measure because some of the effects are qualitative. Even when it comes to quantitative metrics like the amount of money lost, it is very complex to calculate.

Modern gadgets and technologies are used by many to store very confidential things and sensitive information.

This can include important documents, photos, videos and other personal information. When personal data gets leaked, it also affects a person and their life.

It is a sad reality that cybercriminals are often one step ahead of large businesses and even further ahead of small businesses and the average person. The business community, especially those that procure online services, such as banks, must ramp up their investment in cybersecurity systems to enhance the security of their technology services.

As in most other civic activities aimed at improving social behaviour, societal leaders must use educational programmes to promote good cybersecurity habits in the community.

For instance, individuals must be encouraged to use strong passwords to access the technology devices they use.

People should also be encouraged to moderate their social media by keeping their data private. Everyone must understand the importance of regularly backing up data on their devices to minimise damage in the event of a cyberattack or data breach. 

A cyberattack can affect most people in various ways. Banking, utilities, and shopping are the everyday things that affect us the most.  Unfortunately, individuals cannot do anything to stop the problem.  We mostly have to rely on these businesses’ cybersecurity to protect ourselves.

Major industry regulators must combine effective education initiatives in the community with intrusive oversight on businesses’ cybersecurity strategies.