Internet safety

Internet safety, also known as online safety, cyber safety, and e-safety, refers to policies, practices and processes that reduce harms to people that are enabled by the misuse of the Internet. This misuse is due to the ease of which information is documented and spread online. Private information may be put at risk if safety measures are not properly put in place. Harm can also be done through uploaded media, which may contain inappropriate content or targeted attacks. Governments, and organizations have expressed concerns about the safety of children, teenagers and the elderly using the Internet. Many businesses and organizations have been faced with cybercrime and cyberattacks, including Internet fraud, which have resulted in negative impacts including to finances, customer security, and client trust. Internet security measures and trust and safety teams are part of efforts to improve Internet safety.

Sensitive information such as personal information and identity, and passwords are often associated with personal property and privacy and may present security concerns if leaked. Unauthorized access and unsafe use of private information may result in consequences such as identity theft.

Common information security breaches include:

Phishing is a type of scam where the scammers disguise themselves as a trustworthy source in an attempt to obtain private information such as passwords, credit card information, etc. through the internet. These fake websites are often designed to look identical to their legitimate counterparts to avoid suspicion from the user. Normally, hackers will send third-party email to target requesting personal information, and they will use this as an entry point to implement attack.

Malware, particularly spyware, is malicious software designed to collect and transmit private information, such as passwords, without the user's consent or knowledge. They are often distributed through e-mail, software, and files from unofficial locations. Types of malware include viruses, trojan horse, backdoor, ransomware, rootkit, worm, droppers, and click fraud.

Malware is one of the most prevalent security concerns^{[better source needed]} as often it is impossible to determine whether a file is infected, regardless of the source of the file. Various methods are used to obfuscate the malicious program, including encryption, stealth, and packaging. Each method serves to make the malware harder to detect and analyze, turning malware into a much more difficult problem.

The growth of the internet gave rise to many important services accessible to anyone with a connection. One of these important services is digital communication. While this service allowed communication with others through the internet, this also allowed communication with malicious users. While malicious users often use the internet for personal gain, this may not be limited to financial/material gain. This is especially a concern to parents and children, as children are targets of these malicious users. Common threats to personal safety include phishing, internet scams, malware, cyberstalking, cyberbullying, online predators, and sextortion.

Cyberstalking is the use of the internet or other electronic means to stalk or harass an individual, group, or organization. It is a crime in which someone harasses or stalks a victim using electronic or digital means, such as social media, email, instant messaging, or messages posted to a discussion group or forum. It may include false accusations, defamation, slander and libel. It may also include monitoring, identity theft, threats, vandalism, solicitation for sex, or gathering information that may be used to threaten, embarrass or harass. The terms cyberstalking and cyberbullying are often used interchangeably.