Writer: Charlie Fletcher

The Internet has incredible potential. But let’s be honest, in some ways this is a really scary place, with threats around every corner. Many have become more familiar with the nature of these dangers and have found ways to balance the enjoyment of the online space with safeguards.

But what happens when the nature of the Internet changes? Recently, we witnessed the first steps towards the Metaverse, a virtual space where users interact with each other and do business through avatars. .

This immersive experience can hold great opportunities, but it also comes with various security concerns. Solving these issues is essential to embracing the Metaverse in a safe and meaningful way.

understand the threat

The metaverse is a really fascinating concept. While attractive, it also raises some concerns from a security perspective. This does not mean that people should always navigate the metaverse in a state of paranoia. Rather, having a good understanding of possible risks can help you make wise and deliberate choices about how to approach them.

For families and individual users, Creating a secure metaverse experience You should be aware of potential privacy and security issues. You should be very careful about identity theft. Identity theft can involve the theft of financial and personal information directly from an improperly secured avatar. This space can also be rife with social engineering attacks, where hackers manipulate users into giving them access to sensitive data. Cyberbullying can also pose a safety threat in this digitally intimate space, especially for children.

Important protection steps related to these threats include:

• Stay informed about the modus operandi of Metaverse cybercrime.
• We only use the metaverse platform with strong security.
• Maintain parental control.

For metaverse business owners, the threat can be more complex in nature. Certainly, individuals will face similar problems. social engineering, etc. To access company information.

This can be especially difficult in the case of deepfakes, where criminals clone brand avatars and trick employees into leaking information. With consumer and business data stored in virtual spaces, ransomware and malware can also be introduced directly. This puts your Metaverse account and your company’s wider network at risk.

As a result, protective measures related to these threats may include:

• Establish avatar verification protocols so staff and consumers can verify the authenticity of branded avatars.
• Provide regular staff training on emerging and emerging metaverse threats.
• Silo your metaverse accounts away from your corporate network.

adjust behavior

It’s easy to assume that the biggest risks in the Metaverse are the actions of others and weak protections on the platform. Yes, they definitely contribute to security. However, some of your greatest dangers and best protections come from your actions.

Behaviors you should consider adopting include:

Increase digital literacy

Everyone is new to the metaverse at some point, but it’s inevitable. But that doesn’t mean you have to walk around feeling lost and vulnerable. Maintaining good digital literacy is, in many ways, like having a knowledgeable guide to help you navigate the metaverse safely.

Try to understand as much as you can about how different aspects of the metaverse work not only on the surface, but also in the background. You don’t have to be an expert, but try to have some working knowledge. This will allow us to better spot potentially problematic situations and avoid users who do not maintain high security standards.

set strong boundaries

Just like in the real world, setting personal boundaries properly in the Metaverse is essential for your health. Set consistent boundaries with new people and companies you meet in the metaverse about what they can discuss and what personal information they can share. Time limits can also be placed on the time spent in the space to reduce exposure to potential hazards.

Recognize the potential of AI

The metaverse is starting to emerge around the same time as more accessible artificial intelligence (AI) tools. AI can therefore become a common part of this virtual space. It’s a double-edged sword, so it’s worth acknowledging the positive and negative potential of AI in the metaverse.

AI can certainly make users safer, depending on how you use it. On the other hand, there are also AI-driven applications designed to combat security threats. Using machine learning (ML) algorithms, these tools utilize real-time data about network behavior to detect patterns that may be related to cybercrime and alert users and businesses accordingly. can be emitted.

AI tools also support strong and simple means of identity verification, such as passwordless authentication. As such, Ai can indeed be a powerful protective tool in the metaverse.

Meanwhile, digital “bad guys” are also eagerly exploring the possibilities of AI. The platform is designed to analyze large amounts of data to identify and exploit more network vulnerabilities.

The metaverse can use this to quickly target less security-savvy users and businesses. In fact, with increasingly sophisticated chatbots and generative image tools, Convincing deepfake. So while it’s good to be enthusiastic about the possibilities of AI in this new field, we should be cautious in our relationship with AI.

Conclusion

If you plan to join the metaverse, you should take security challenges seriously. Understand the pervasive threats associated with your intended use and take steps to protect against them. Adopting safe behaviors is also one of the key ways to minimize vulnerability. Also note a little bit of your relationship with AI in the metaverse.

While leveraging its potential to detect threats, also be aware of how criminals use it. As with any online space, you will find that using it in an informed and responsible manner will help you get the most out of it.

[Feature Image Source: Pexels]