FINTECH
consumers take the following steps in order to guard themselves :
Protect all devices used for conducting transactions with a comprehensive Internet security product
Only use a secure Internet connection for financial transactions
Use a password manager to secure the password to your online wallet ; or , better still , use a cold ( offline / hardware ) wallet that encrypts your private keys
Consider using multiple accounts – specifically , keeping a separate account for normal transactions – just as you might have current and savings accounts in the real world
Limor Kessem : Unfortunately , we are already deep in a ‘ cyber muggings ’ era . Account takeover fraud rates skyrocketed 282 % between Q2 2019 to Q2 2020 . Establishing digital identity trust quickly and
transparently after a person logs in to the account can limit the scope of an attack .
Ian Benson : Around US $ 3bn was stolen from blockchain wallets in 2020 ( at current values ). Many of the same principles for traditional online banking , around maintaining security of personal devices by not clicking on suspicious links or installing untrusted applications , apply here too .
Norma Krayem : We do not need to think we will approach an era of frequent ‘ cyber muggings ,’ but we do need to be clear that everyone who is part of this complicated ecosystem must manage and address cyber risk . That includes the hardware and software providers in the system , the smart phones the digital wallets sit on , the cloud where data is stored and for the users themselves .
With all new digital innovation there are risks that must be managed together ; we no longer live in a world that can or should separate innovation from managing risk , they are mirror images of each other . Cybersecurity is a systemic risk that will have to be addressed head on so that the benefits of a cashless society ( i . e . greater financial inclusion ) can be enjoyed .