The Apple vs FBI saga helped highlight an interesting debate when it comes to our security. On the one hand we have the argument for physical security against criminal activity, which the FBI embodied, and on the other, we have the information security of the entire internet-using population threatened, which was Apple's position on the matter. The saga was not just about Syed Farook's privacy, it was about the privacy of every single one of us.

It is a tricky case, there is no doubt about it, but there is some positive in that it is bringing these issues of data security and encryption into the limelight. The Apple vs FBI case has got us talking about the very real, ever present need for privacy online and how we go about achieving this and that is so important. We think that the best place to start in fully understanding your online security is looking at the biggest threats to it and how to go about avoiding them. We have compiled some of the most common here, for you to have a think about.

Email spam

Spam – or unwanted – email accounts for around 50% of all emails sent. In and of itself, spam mail isn't necessarily harmful, but it can be used to send malware. Spam mail is also often very well hidden, under the guise of sales emails, which means you need to be extra alert as to which links you are opening. Spam can be very convincing and the best tip is that if something seems too good to be true, it probably is. If anything seems out of place, be very wary about it.

Phishing

Phishing is essentially the fraudulent acquiring of passwords and personal data such as credit card details. As you can imagine, online banking, shopping and auction sites are the most likely to be at risk of this type of activity, because they hold so much valuable information. The most common way phishing occurs is where an official looking email is sent out from a supposedly trusted sender, which then convinces the user to give over personal details. Again, just as with spam email, this is a case of being ever vigilant. Be aware that banks will never email you asking you to change your password for online banking and, if you do receive contact from them that seems at all suspicious, get in touch with them directly to double check.

Pharming

This is one step up from phishing where, as well as impersonated emails, pharmers will create entire fake websites that look identical to the official website. Users will then put in their information, believing the fake site to be the official. Double check URLs, look for security systems and, again, don't click if you feel uneasy. 

Botnets

Botnets are responsible for the spam email and spreading of malware that we discussed above. They are robots (or 'bots') that distribute spam emails which have viruses attached. They can also then use your system as part of an attack on another system. Botnets largely go undetected, which is why you may not have heard of them. Small but mighty, they can do a lot of damage.

Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attack

As mentioned above, botnets can use your computer to help attack another server. This works because websites can only process a certain number of requests before it crashes. When a bot has an army of computers under its control, it asks them all to go to one specific URL, overloading it and meaning that it can not then process the usage requests from other legitimate users. This therefore brings the server down. To prevent this from happening, you need to be vigilant with your computer security and be careful about attachments you open from unknown senders. If you do notice any issues, such as slow internet usage,  contact your service provider for help, as this may be down to a DDoS.

Malware

We have mentioned malware several times already – but what exactly is it? It is malicious software (hence 'malware') which has the ability to affect your computer and be used in attacks on other servers or for information theft. Malware can include computer viruses, worms, Trojan horses, spyware and adware – basically, anything that wants to harm your device. Malware can be very powerful, sending emails on your behalf, altering or deleting files and stealing sensitive information, among other things. 

With so many threats on our security from unwanted sources, Apple is rightly taking the creation of a universal master key, which could gain access to any iPhone device, very seriously. The master key would be being created for beneficial purposes in this instance, but if it strays into the wrong hands – as technology inevitably tends to do – there could be huge ramifications.