Keep Your Digital Transactions Secure: Standards, Tips, and Guidelines

Almost every financial activity can now be done from the palm of your hand. However, the convenience of digital transactions—for payments, online shopping, and investing—comes with a significant challenge: how do we ensure the security of those transactions?

Every click and tap can open an entry point for cybercrime if transaction security is neglected. The rising number of financial scams makes this topic increasingly relevant for a broad audience, especially customers and investors who actively seek opportunities in the digital space.

Keys to Protect Your Digital Transactions

1. Protect Your Personal Identity Data

Data breaches are a major concern. They can occur due to cyberattacks, system vulnerabilities, or user errors. As a user, keep the following information confidential and share it only with legitimate, authorized parties:

1. National identity numbers (e.g., KTP), driver’s license (SIM), taxpayer ID (NPWP), and the personal details they contain.

2. Bank account numbers.

3. Account credentials: usernames, passwords, and PINs.

4. Personal financial data: income, expenses, savings, investments, assets, and liabilities (debts).

2. Rotate Passwords Every Three Months

Cybersecurity experts recommend changing passwords at least every three months across various platforms, including social media, banking, trading, and investment apps. Although it may reduce convenience, regular password rotation is an important protective measure.

Many people reuse the same password across multiple accounts. Routine password updates help prevent credential stuffing and subsequent account takeovers that can lead to identity theft and financial loss.

3. Keep Apps Up to Date

Smartphones host many mobile apps downloaded from app stores (Play Store, App Store). Developers regularly release updates to fix bugs, patch vulnerabilities, and improve performance and features.

Regularly update apps on your device. Outdated apps may stop working properly and often lack security patches that protect personal data. Newer versions typically include security hardening and usability improvements.

4. Limit Use of Public Networks

People often use public Wi-Fi to save mobile data in public places. However, public networks can be risky if users are not careful. Some threats include network eavesdropping and malware.

1. To stay safer on public networks, take the following steps.

2. Verify the Wi-Fi’s legitimacy with staff at the location.

3. Use a virtual private network (VPN) to encrypt your internet traffic.

4. Configure your browser to block pages that don’t support HTTPS.

5. Avoid sensitive activities (banking, submitting personal data) on public Wi-Fi.

6. Scan devices with reputable antivirus software and reboot after using public networks.

5. Be Alert to Social-Engineering Schemes

Social engineering is increasingly prevalent on social platforms: fake customer-service accounts, scam survey or job ads, and suspicious direct messages. Attackers use email, Instagram, X (Twitter), and WhatsApp to send links to counterfeit sites that prompt victims to enter usernames and passwords.

Protect yourself from social engineering by doing this.

1. Learning common types and tactics of social engineering.

2. Not clicking links or downloading files from unverified sources.

3. Checking differences between legitimate and spoofed platforms (website addresses, email domains, verification badges).

4. Verifying information sources to distinguish facts from hoaxes.

5. Using spam filters to reduce junk email.

6. Enabling multi-factor authentication (MFA/2FA) where available—options include OTPs, biometric verification, security tokens, push notifications, and authenticator apps.

Keeping digital transactions secure is ultimately every user’s responsibility. With these preventive steps, everyone can enjoy easier, safer transactions and keep their digital assets better protected over the long term.

---

Disclaimer: The content is made for educational purposes, not a recommendation to buy or sell a particular stock. PT KAF Sekuritas Indonesia is licensed and supervised by the Financial Services Authority (OJK).