Think before you trust – a digital safety guide from GISEC 2026
Cybercrime does not need to be sophisticated to work anymore, it just needs to catch you at an emotional moment. This was the core message from Prof. Dr. Shankar Karuppayah's cybersecurity researcher and Deputy Director of the Cybersecurity Research Centre (CYRES) at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) session at GISEC 2026, where he walked attendees through the everyday habits, free tools, and…
During the GISEC 2026 conference, Prof. Dr. Shankar Karuppayah, a cybersecurity researcher at Universiti Sains Malaysia, shared essential digital safety tips for the public. He emphasized that cybercrime no longer requires complex techniques and instead preys on emotional moments. Karuppayah outlined six warning signs of a possible attack: urgency, unexpected requests, channel switches, borrowed authority, unrealistic offers, and secrecy.
He advised that spotting even one warning sign warrants caution, and two or more signs indicate a high probability of an attack. To enhance password security, Karuppayah recommended using a password manager, which generates unique passwords and tracks expiration dates. He also emphasized checking for data breaches using haveibeenpwned.com.
Everyday digital hygiene practices include verifying padlock security, avoiding lookalike domains, using a single updated browser, typing sensitive URLs directly, scanning attachments, and checking shortened links before clicking. Moreover, Karuppayah highlighted how AI, voice cloning, and video manipulation can deceive users, urging recipients to seek unscripted actions and second-channel confirmations during video calls.
He stressed that verification should be prioritized over technology, suggesting pre-arranged family code words and stopping payment requests to avoid falling victim to scams.
Written by urgent.news from Gulf News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
