​ More secure Internet for all Telenor customers

(Fornebu, 18 June 2018) Telenor has set itself the goal of securing its customers' Internet use, and is now taking action to prevent cyber criminals from easily attacking innocent web surfers. Telenor is now introducing a filter which blocks websites that could harm customers, regardless of whether they are on a PC, tablet or mobile phone.

Approximately 80% of all web traffic in Norway goes through Telenor Norway's networks. That's why Telenor Norway is investing heavily in both expertise and systems which strengthen its defence of the Internet and of its customers against new digital threats.

– Unfortunately, Internet crime is increasing in scope, and cyber criminals are attacking unsuspecting web surfers in unanticipated ways. A new threat has arisen, and we will do our part to stop negative developments, says the head of Telenor's Mobile Division, Bjørn Ivar Moen.

From now on, Telenor customers will be warned if they are navigating to pages that are misused by cyber criminals.

– If you click on a link or are in the process of navigating to such sites, you will immediately be stopped by a warning telling you that the page is dangerous or has malicious software, says Moen.

Spammers
Telenor's security organisation has set a goal of blocking websites that are used for various types of Internet crime.

– We can't block them all, but we can block quite a lot of them. Spammers try to get hold of sensitive personal data and many people are deceived, with all the negative consequences that entails. Fraudsters are becoming more devious, using tactics such as convincing phishing to trick their victims into providing sensitive information. These spammers are now going to have a more difficult time. Starting now, we are reducing the risk of hacking, viruses and other online traps, says Telenor's Chief Security Officer, Hanne Tangen Nilsen.

Facts about the service
Telenor's latest step in a series of security measures is to keep lists of infected sites, and to use those lists to warn customers before they navigate to an insecure website. This online protection is a filter within the Telenor network, and stops you if you are in the process of navigating to a page that contains viruses, scams or other harmful software so that you can surf the web even more safely.

– The service doesn't evaluate the actual content of the websites; Telenor only blocks websites with phishing activity, viruses, worms or other harmful content. The lists of infected websites are continuously updated through a collaboration between Telenor's Security Operation Centre and external security companies, says Tangen Nilsen.

Customers can choose to turn off the service.

The new online protection is activated automatically for Telenor customers. The service will be activated automatically for mobile customers starting today, and there will be a gradual roll-out for broadband customers.

The security service is included free of charge with Telenor subscriptions for both mobile and broadband (including Canal Digital Cable customers), and the mobile protection also works abroad.

Security advice from Telenor

• Think before you click on links and attachments. Consider whether the content and format of the message seems reasonable with regard to who the sender is. Are you unsure? Then it's better to search for the page through your web browser.

• Never give out financial information to someone who contacts you of their own accord, regardless of the sender.

• Entities that are at risk of Internet fraud, such as banks, rarely send out emails with a link to a login page. If you receive such a message, you have reason to be sceptical. Instead of following the link in the email, you should visit the online bank or service in the usual way (type in the web address).

• If you have the technical capability, check if links in emails lead where you expect them to. (On a PC: place the cursor over the link and check the address before clicking.)

• Before giving out personal information such as your username and password to a website, ensure that you are on the correct page by checking the address at the top of the browser.

• Do not open up your mobile phone to download apps that are not approved by the App Store or Google Play. This is also known as jailbreaking or rooting.

• Basic security on your devices is critical. Make sure you have good antivirus software and keep it up to date, make backup copies regularly and protect your device with strong passwords. These steps can prevent malware from infecting your device, or at least limit the damage.

Phishing – explanation

Phishing (from Wikipedia): A term for digital snooping or "fishing" for sensitive information such as passwords or credit card numbers. The term comes from the word "fishing", where the "f" is replaced with "ph" as is common in hacker slang.

For more information, please visit www.telenor.no/nettvern