ESET Unveils AI Security Layer to Block Scams in APAC

ESET expands consumer and SOHO protection with new AI security and anti-scam capabilities

New ESET AI Security layer protects users from AI-driven scams and emerging threats targeting AI tools.

Advanced protection features include AI Conversation Security, AI Agent Security, and Behavioral Monitoring.

Additional improvements include enhanced privacy and control with Browser Screen Protection, as well as Web Control, which helps users stay safer during everyday online activity.

ESET, a global leader in cybersecurity, today announced new upgrades to ESET HOME Security and ESET Small Business Security, helping consumers and small office/home office users better protect themselves against scams, including increasingly sophisticated AI-powered scams, malicious links, and emerging threats targeting AI tools.

“As AI becomes part of everyday life across Asia Pacific, it is changing both how people use technology and how cybercriminals target them,” said Parvinder Walia, President of APAC region at ESET. “Consumers and small businesses need protection that keeps pace with these changes, without adding complexity to their daily lives. With these new capabilities, we are helping users recognise and avoid scams, safeguard sensitive information, and use AI tools with greater confidence.”

Recognising this shift, ESET has been strengthening its consumer and SOHO protection against scams for several years and now introduces a new AI Security protection layer, built specifically to safeguard users in this rapidly evolving digital landscape.

Key features of ESET AI Security

• AI Conversation Security – Safeguards interactions between end users and ChatGPT. Other major LLMs, such as Gemini and Copilot, will be integrated soon. It proactively scans URLs found in LLM responses and flags content originating from phishing, malicious, or potentially unwanted sources, informing users that the referenced content may not be safe before they click on it. It also scans scripts generated by LLMs to help prevent users from running malicious code on their devices.
• AI Agent Security – Monitors what AI agents access and download before execution happens. It proactively protects against unsafe files, scripts downloaded by AI tools, and suspicious external URLs.
• AI Skills Checker – AI Skills Checker is a free online tool powered by AI Agent Security technology. It scans AI skills (add-ons for AI tools that enhance their functionality) for signs of malicious activity and risky behavior before users install and use them.
• AI Behavioral Monitoring – Works alongside AI Agent Security to continuously monitor AI agents’ behaviors and actions to discover unusual actions, suspicious access attempts, unexpected behavior patterns, and suspicious download sources.

Browser Screen Protection

Designed to safeguard sensitive data during online activity, which:

• Prevents unauthorised screenshots, screen recording, and screen sharing
• Protects against infostealers and screen-capture malware
• And strengthens security during online banking, shopping, and private browsing sessions

ESET Mobile Security for iOS*

Protecting users against malicious websites, links, and threats coming from misconfigured device settings or vulnerable Wi-Fi networks. This solution is available on the App Store in both free and premium versions.

• Link Checker (Free) – Checks any URL against ESET’s continually updated database of malicious links.
• Device Scan (Free) – Provides a one-click security posture overview and checks the device setup for potential weaknesses, including misconfigured settings, missing protection-related permissions, and ignored issues.
• Device Settings Check (Free) – Reviews key protections, such as screen lock, notification handling, and available storage for future updates.
• Anti-Phishing for Safari (Premium) – Blocks malicious pages before they load.
• Connection Security (Premium) – Flags risky or unsecured Wi-Fi networks while allowing creation of a list of trusted networks.

ESET Small Business Security

Now also includes Web Control. This feature enables users to configure web access settings to protect employees from accessing web pages that may contain dangerous or inappropriate content, potentially offensive material, content violating intellectual property rights, or pages that may have a negative impact on productivity.

To learn more about ESET HOME and its subscription tiers, visit our dedicated webpage. For more information about ESET Small Business Security, visit the product page.

*Pending approval. iOS app available soon. App release is subject to Apple App Store approval. Actual app availability may vary by region.

About ESET®

ESET protects organizations, critical infrastructure, and individuals, helping them build digital resilience and confidence in an increasingly AI-driven world. With more than 35 years of cybersecurity expertise, over 25 years of AI innovation, and 11 global R&D centers, ESET develops proprietary technologies designed to protect against evolving cyber threats and secure the broader AI ecosystem. Grounded in scientific rigor and taking a preemptive approach to security, ESET delivers effortless protection that remains under expert human oversight. Headquartered in the European Union and privately owned, ESET protects millions of users and more than 500,000 organizations across 178 countries. Committed to responsible AI and customer trust, ESET protects the progress that technology enables. For more information, visit www.eset.com or follow ESET’s social media, podcasts, and blogs.

ESET Exposes CallPhantom Scam: 28 Fake Call‑History Apps With 7.3M Downloads Removed From Google Play

• ESET identified and reported 28 separate CallPhantom apps on Google Play, cumulatively downloaded more than 7.3 million times.
• 53.7% of all CallPhantom detections worldwide were found in India.Some CallPhantom apps sidestep Google Play’s official billing system, complicating victims’ refund efforts.

ESET researchers have uncovered fraudulent apps on Google Play that claim to provide the call history “for any number.” The offending apps, which ESET named CallPhantom based on their false claims, purport to provide access to call histories, SMS records, and even WhatsApp call logs for any phone number. To unlock this supposed feature, users are asked to pay — but all they get in return is randomly generated data. ESET’s investigation identified 28 such fraudulent apps, cumulatively downloaded more than 7.3 million times. As an App Defense Alliance partner, we reported our findings to Google, which removed all of the apps identified in this report from Google Play.

The CallPhantom apps mainly targeted Android users in India. Many of the apps came with India’s +91 country code preselected, and support UPI, a payment system used primarily in India. 53.7% of all CallPhantom detections worldwide were found in India.

In November 2025, we came across a Reddit post discussing an app named Call History of Any Number, found on Google Play. Unsurprisingly, our analysis showed that the ‘call history’ data provided by this app is entirely fabricated — the app generates random phone numbers and matches them with fixed names, call times, and call durations, which were embedded directly in the code, says ESET researcher Lukáš Štefanko, who uncovered the CallPhantom fraud.

In general, CallPhantom apps have a simple user interface and do not request any intrusive or sensitive permissions — they don’t need to. Coincidentally, they do not contain any functionality capable of retrieving actual call, SMS, or WhatsApp data.

In the CallPhantom apps ESET analyzed, researchers saw three different payment methods used, two of which are in violation of Google Play’s payments policy. Some of the apps relied on subscriptions via Google Play’s official billing system. Others relied on payments via a third party; in some cases, payment card checkout forms were included directly in the CallPhantom apps.

The fees requested for the fake service differ widely across the apps. The apps also appear to offer different subscription packages, such as weekly, monthly, or yearly services, with the highest requested price sitting at US$80. For the lowest “subscription tier,” the average requested price was €5.

In general, subscriptions purchased through the official Google Play billing system can be canceled. For the 28 apps described in this blog post, existing subscriptions were canceled when the apps were removed from Google Play. In some cases, refunds for Google Play purchases are possible.

If the purchase was made outside of Google Play — for example, by entering payment card details inside the app or by paying via third-party services — then Google cannot cancel the subscription or issue a refund, and users have to contact their payment provider.

For more details about CallPhantom, check out the latest ESET Research blog post, “Fake call logs, real payments: How CallPhantom tricks Android users,” on WeLiveSecurity.com. Make sure to follow ESET Research on BlueSky, and Mastodon for the latest news from ESET Research.

Simple Antivirus is Not Enough Anymore. ESET is Introducing All-in-One Protection for Consumers in India

ESET a global leader in cybersecurity, today announced the launch of its new innovative and streamlined offering for consumers in India. With more than 30 years on the market, ESET has moved to unify its broadly deployed consumer product portfolio. Specifically, ESET is introducing two brand-new customer-centric subscription tiers, namely ESET HOME Security Essential and ESET HOME Security Premium, providing both broad and reliable digital life protection with new features such as Browser Privacy & Security extension.

Responding to the increasing demand for an all-in-one solution that offers intuitive use of these new features, ESET is introducing an improved ESET HOME—a comprehensive security management platform. Available across all major operating systems—Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS—and includes visibility into home networks and connected smart devices.

"Today's digital landscape has become increasingly sophisticated, with online threats, such as phishing and banking scams, frequently making headlines. At ESET, we are committed to empowering consumers to remain protected online. The new ESET HOME Security is powered by a combination of AI, human insight, and cloud protection, providing all-in-one security solutions that enable our users to safeguard themselves, their families, and their homes from various digital threats. This will enable them to connect, explore, shop, bank, and thrive in the digital space," said Parvinder Walia, ESET President for Asia Pacific and Japan.

Complete security management platform

Research among ESET customers shows that the vast majority of ESET HOME users define themselves as home admins, those who take care of their household’s digital security. They are tech savvy but don’t want to spend much time managing ESET products. To meet customers’ needs, ESET has made improvements to ESET HOME. Now, as a complete security management platform, it is a seamless part of the user experience. In this place, managing devices, online purchases, subscription activation and renewal, downloading or upgrading security solutions, and enabling powerful functionalities like Anti-Theft and more, are all a seamless part of existing user flows.

To enhance user experience and simplify the platform’s management, ESET has made several interface changes, including the introduction of our Overall Protection Status, so users can see the level of protection for their household in one view. This combines both the validity status of a user’s licenses and the security status of devices connected to the account in three categories: Protected, Attention Required, and Security Alert.

These changes aim to provide customers with cutting-edge protection, while minimal interaction is needed to set up the product. At the same time, this new ecosystem provides meaningful options and functionality for proactive users who want to control and customize it. ESET HOME is an easy-to-use web portal and mobile app available for both iOS & Android.

Explore new subscription tiers and their features

Also introduced with this launch are the new subscription tiers for this new ecosystem—ESET HOME Security Essential and ESET HOME Security Premium. Subscription tiers provide all-in-one protection with low system impact, covering the complex needs of individuals and their households for digital life privacy and security. ESET HOME Security subscriptions are available on all major operating systems —Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS.

ESET HOME Security Essential is an entry-level subscription tier with protection features including improved modern endpoint security, multilayered real-time protection, as well as additional tools that further enhance the user’s ability to protect against various threats. Included are the Safe Banking & Browsing feature, designed to protect user’s sensitive data; Network Inspector, a diagnostic tool providing information on the security of the user’s router and display of devices connected to the network; and Parental Control to keep your family safe from inappropriate online content. Newly developed browser extensions (compatible with Chrome, Edge, and Firefox) provide enhancement of the Browser Privacy & Security feature. It includes cleanup tool such as Browser Cleanup, that cleans cookies, history, and much more from the browser regularly or on-demand. 

The middle tier, ESET HOME Security Premium, extends the feature set further by adding other security functionalities such as a Password Manager that protects and stores users’ passwords and personal data. This includes an automatic and accurate form-filling feature, saving their time when filling out web forms. Secure Data functionality boosts their privacy and security with powerful encryption of files and removable media, preventing data theft in the event of USB or laptop loss, and ensuring secure collaboration and data sharing. ESET HOME Security Premium offers the ESET LiveGuard tool, cloud-based protection specifically designed to mitigate never-before-seen threats.

The most advanced subscription tier, ESET HOME Security Ultimate, will be released in Q1 2024 and comes with brand-new ESET features, such as VPN.

Device-tailored security solutions

ESET HOME Security takes device protection to a new level by seamlessly integrating a suite of standalone device protection solutions tailored to meet customers’ security needs. This includes ESET Antivirus, ESET Mobile Security (EMS), Parental Control, and ESET Smart TV Security.

ESET HOME Security Premium is currently on a year-end sale, with discounts of up to 30% until December 31, 2023. Visit www.eset.com/in for more details.


Top Image – lovethatdesign.com

ESET Launches Psychometric Test to Uncover Visionary Thinkers Across the World

Developed in partnership with The Myers-Briggs Company, the Progress Personas test is designed to identify what makes people tick and push society forward

ESET, a global leader in cybersecurity, today announces the launch of the Progress Personas psychometric test, developed in partnership with The Myers-Briggs Company, a pioneer in personality and professional development assessments. The test is designed for the curious and inquisitive, with the questionnaire allowing individuals to identify where they fit on the scale of visionary thinkers.

The Progress Personas test is designed to understand what makes people tick, innovate, and push society forward. After responding to a series of short questions, individuals will be provided with a bespoke report outlining the likely strengths and weaknesses of their forward-thinking personalities. The reports detail the specific innovative persona type they fall into, including The Changemaker, Flex Fury, Authentic Dynamo, Power Pro, Firestarter, Captain Conventional, Doctor Constant, The Chameleon, or The Inventor.

“We live in a changing world where we need to adapt and be resilient in order to progress. ESET believes that any inquiring mind has a role to play in contributing to progress that keeps the world turning,” comments Ignacio Sbampato, Chief Business Officer at ESET. “Everyone has different ways of being progress-minded. This psychometric test will highlight an individual’s forward-thinking persona and provide hints and tips to help reach their full potential. We’re excited to be partnering with a respected institution like The Myers-Briggs Company, to bring something insightful and fun to our global audience.”

“ESET places immense importance on the development of science and technology around the world. Whilst progress comes in many shapes and forms, it is important to protect it. ESET is proud to have been at the forefront of protecting progress for more than three decades,” adds Sbampato.

The psychometric test was developed in coordination with the company that publishes the famed Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI®) assessment that reveals the differing psychological preferences in how people perceive the world and make decisions. The MBTI assessment indicates a person’s preference in four separate categories: Extraversion or Introversion, Sensing or Intuition, Thinking or Feeling, and Judging or Perceiving. The framework was developed in the 1940s by Katharine Cook Briggs and her daughter, Isabel Briggs Myers, who were inspired by Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung’s book Psychological Types.

“The Progress Personas assessment has been developed to be a reliable measure of innovation style and resilience,” comments John Hackston, head of Thought Leadership at The Myers-Briggs Company. “By combining the scores of these two dimensions, the report gives people a unique insight into their individual style of achieving progress — their progress persona.”

The Progress Personas test follows ESET’s Heroes of Progress Awards which were announced in September, designed to shine a light on the visionary thinkers helping to make our planet a better place.

To take the free psychometric test, please visit this link.

To learn more about how ESET keeps progress protected, please visit: https://www.eset.com/int/progress-protected/

To learn more about The Myers-Briggs Company, please visit: https://eu.themyersbriggs.com/

About ESET

For more than 30 years, ESET® has been developing industry-leading IT security software and services to protect businesses, critical infrastructure, and consumers worldwide from increasingly sophisticated digital threats. From endpoint and mobile security to endpoint detection and response, as well as encryption and multifactor authentication, ESET’s high-performing, easy-to-use solutions unobtrusively protect and monitor 24/7, updating defenses in real time to keep users safe and businesses running without interruption. Evolving threats require an evolving IT security company that enables the safe use of technology. This is backed by ESET’s R&D centers worldwide, working in support of our shared future. For more information, visit www.eset.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.

About The Myers-Briggs Company

In our fast-changing world, your edge lies in harnessing 100 percent of your talent – at work, at home, and everywhere in between. The Myers-Briggs Company helps organizations worldwide improve teams, develop inspirational leaders, and solve the most perplexing people challenges. We empower individuals to be the best versions of themselves by enriching their understanding of themselves and others. As a Certified B Corporation, The Myers-Briggs Company is a force for good. And we're ready to help you succeed.

ESET Threat Report T2 2022: RDP Attacks See Further Drop; India Among Countries with Highest Number of Android Trojan Detections

India was among countries with most detections of Android/Spy.Agent trojan. Such malicious apps have a wide range of spying capabilities including recording audio and video.

India (35%) also ranked second after China (53%) as the geolocation for bots making up the largest IoT botnet ‘ Mozi’

ESET has released its T2 2022 Threat Report, summarizing key statistics from ESET detection systems, and highlighting notable examples of ESET’s cybersecurity research. The latest issue of the ESET Threat Report (covering May to August 2022) sheds light on the changes in ideologically motivated ransomware, spyware trojans, Emotet activity, the most-used phishing lures, how the plummeting cryptocurrency exchange rates affected online threats, and the continuation of the sharp decline of Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) attacks. ESET analysts think these attacks continued to lose their steam due to the Russia-Ukraine war, along with the post-COVID return to offices and overall improved security of corporate environments.

Key Points of the Report —

• Following a sharp decline observed in T1 2022, the total number of RDP attack attempts declined by a further 89%; the likely reasons for the decline are post-COVID return to offices, improved security, and the Russia-Ukraine war.
• Politically motivated ransomware declined; operators turned their attention from Russia back to their usual targets such as the United States, China, and Israel.
• Emotet continued to be active, with detections seen mainly in Japan and Italy; according to ESET telemetry, its operators took time off in August.
• ESET phishing feeds showed a sixfold increase in shipping-themed phishing URLs, with the most commonly impersonated brands being USPS and DHL.
• Web skimmer known as Magecart constituted three-fourths of all banking malware detections, leaving far behind the rest of the malware strains in the category.
• Cryptocurrency threats went down along with the price of bitcoin; however, the previously declining category of Cryptostealers grew by almost 50%.

Even with declining numbers, Russian IP addresses continued to be responsible for the largest portion of RDP attacks. “In T1 2022, Russia was also the country that was most targeted by ransomware, with some of the attacks being politically or ideologically motivated by the war. However, ESET Threat Report T2 2022 shows that this hacktivism wave has declined in T2, and ransomware operators turned their attention towards the United States, China, and Israel,” explains Roman Kováč, Chief Research Officer at ESET.

Android threat detections continued to grow in T2 2022 by 9.5%, with India named among countries with most detections of Android/Spy.Agent trojan with various spying capabilities, including secretly recording audio and video. Behind a large portion of Android spyware detection in the past four months was “GB WhatsApp” – a popular but cloned (and therefore unofficial) third-party version of WhatsApp. The cloned app is not available on Google Play and therefore there are no security checks in place compared with the legitimate WhatsApp, and versions available on various download websites are riddled with malware.

Further, the biggest zombie IoT botnet ‘Mozi’ saw the number of bots drop by 23% from 500,000 compromised devices in T1 to 383,000 in T2. However, China (53%) and India (35%) continued to have the highest number of IoT bots geolocated inside the respective countries. These statistics confirm the assumption that the Mozi botnet is on autopilot, running without human supervision since its reputed author was arrested in 2021.

According to ESET telemetry, August was a vacation month for the operators of Emotet, the most influential downloader strain. The gang behind it also adapted to Microsoft’s decision to disable VBA macros in documents originating from the internet and focused on campaigns based on weaponized Microsoft Office files and LNK files.

The report also examines threats mostly impacting home users. ESET phishing feeds showed a sixfold increase in shipping-themed phishing lures, most of the time presenting the victims with fake DHL and USPS requests to verify shipping addresses. “In terms of threats directly affecting virtual and physical currencies, a web skimmer known as Magecart remains the leading threat going after online shoppers’ credit card details. We also saw a twofold increase in cryptocurrency-themed phishing lures and a rising number of cryptostealers,” explains Kováč.

The ESET T2 2022 Threat Report also reviews the most important findings and achievements by ESET researchers. They uncovered a previously unknown macOS backdoor, and later attributed it to ScarCruft, discovered an updated version of the Sandworm APT group’s ArguePatch malware loader, uncovered Lazarus payloads in trojanized apps, and analyzed an instance of the Lazarus Operation In(ter)ception campaign targeting macOS devices while spearphishing in crypto-waters. ESET researchers also discovered buffer overflow vulnerabilities in Lenovo UEFI firmware and a new campaign using a fake Salesforce update as a lure.

Besides these findings, the report also summarizes the many talks given by ESET researchers in recent months, and introduces talks planned for AVAR, Ekoparty, and many other conferences.

For more information, check out ESET Threat Report T2 2022 on WeLiveSecurity. Make sure to follow ESET Research on Twitter for the latest news from ESET Research.

About ESET

For more than 30 years, ESET® has been developing industry-leading IT security software and services for businesses and consumers worldwide. With solutions ranging from endpoint and mobile security to encryption and two-factor authentication, ESET’s high-performing, easy-to-use products give consumers and businesses the peace of mind to enjoy the full potential of their technology. ESET unobtrusively protects and monitors 24/7, updating defenses in real time to keep users safe and businesses running without interruption. Evolving threats require an evolving IT security company. Backed by R&D centers worldwide, ESET is the first IT security company to earn 100 Virus Bulletin VB100 awards, identifying every single “in-the-wild” malware without interruption since 2003. For more information, visit www.eset.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.

ESET Research Uncovers New Cyberespionage Group Worok Targeting Companies, Govts Mostly in Asia

• ESET researchers have discovered a previously unknown cyberespionage group that they named Worok.
• Worok has attacked various high-profile companies from the telecommunications, banking, maritime, energy, military, government, and public sectors. The targets are located mostly in Asia, but also in the Middle East and Africa.
• Worok develops its own tools and leverages existing tools to compromise its targets. The group has used the infamous ProxyShell vulnerabilities to gain initial access in some cases. Its PowerShell backdoor PowHeartBeat has various capabilities, including command/process execution and uploading and downloading files.

yESET researchers recently discovered targeted attacks that used undocumented tools against various high-profile companies and local governments mostly in Asia, but also in the Middle East and Africa. These attacks were conducted by a previously unknown cyberespionage group that ESET has named Worok. According to ESET telemetry, Worok has been active since at least 2020 and continues to be active today. Among the targets were companies from the telecommunications, banking, maritime, energy, military, government, and public sectors. Worok used the infamous ProxyShell vulnerabilities to gain initial access in some cases.

"We believe the malware operators are after information from their victims because they focus on high-profile entities in Asia and Africa, targeting various sectors, both private and public, but with a specific emphasis on government entities,” says ESET researcher Thibaut Passilly who discovered Worok.

Back in late 2020, Worok was targeting governments and companies in multiple countries, specifically:

• A telecommunications company in East Asia
• A bank in Central Asia
• A maritime industry company in Southeast Asia
• A government entity in the Middle East
• A private company in southern Africa

There was a significant break in observed operations from May 2021 to January 2022, but Worok activity returned in February 2022, targeting:

• An energy company in Central Asia
• A public sector entity in Southeast Asia

Worok is a cyberespionage group that develops its own tools and leverages existing tools to compromise its targets. The group’s custom toolset includes two loaders, CLRLoad and PNGLoad, and a backdoor, PowHeartBeat.

Technical Analysis

While the majority of initial accesses are unknown, in some cases through 2021 and 2022 we have seen exploits used against the ProxyShell vulnerabilities. In such cases, typically webshells have been uploaded after exploiting these vulnerabilities, in order to provide persistence in the victim’s network. Then the operators used various implants to gain further capabilities.

Once access had been acquired, the operators deployed multiple, publicly available tools for reconnaissance, including Mimikatz, EarthWorm, ReGeorg, and NBTscan, and then deployed their custom implants: a first-stage loader, followed by a second stage .NET loader (PNGLoad).

Unfortunately, the ESET team have not able to retrieve any of the final payloads. In 2021, the first-stage loader was a CLR assembly (CLRLoad), while in 2022 it has been replaced, in most cases, by a full-featured PowerShell backdoor (PowHeartBeat) – both execution chains are depicted in Figure 2. These three tools are described in detail in the following subsections.

Worok compromise chains

CLRLoad is a first-stage loader that was used in 2021, but in 2022 was replaced, in most cases, by PowHeartBeat. PNGLoad is a second-stage loader that uses steganography to reconstruct malicious payloads hidden in PNG images.

PowHeartBeat is a full-featured backdoor written in PowerShell, obfuscated using various techniques such as compression, encoding, and encryption. This backdoor has various capabilities, including command/process execution and file manipulation. For example, it is capable of uploading files to and downloading files from compromised machines; returning file information such as the path, length, creation time, access times, and content to the command and control server; and deleting, renaming, and moving files.

“While our visibility at this stage is limited, we hope that putting the spotlight on this group will encourage other researchers to share information about this group,” adds Passilly.
For more technical information about Worok, check out the blogpost “Worok: the big picture” on WeLiveSecurity. Make sure to follow ESET Research on Twitter for the latest news from ESET Research.

Visual heatmap of the targeted regions and verticals 

Map of the targeted regions and verticals

For more than 30 years, ESET® has been developing industry-leading IT security software and services to protect businesses, critical infrastructure and consumers worldwide from increasingly sophisticated digital threats. From endpoint and mobile security to endpoint detection and response, as well as encryption and multifactor authentication, ESET’s high-performing, easy-to-use solutions unobtrusively protect and monitor 24/7, updating defenses in real time to keep users safe and businesses
running without interruption. Evolving threats require an evolving IT security company that enables the safe use of technology. This is backed by ESET’s R&D centers worldwide, working in support of our shared future. 

ESET Launches Safer Kids Online Platform in India to Safeguard Children’s Cyber Safety

ESET, a global leader in digital security, today launches its Safer Kids Online platform – a resource site dedicated to building a safer online environment for children in India. The website offers resources - in the form of videos, articles and expert insight - for children, parents and teachers with the aim to enable children to enjoy the full potential of the internet in a secure digital world.

Protecting Kids Online

As a result of the shift to digitalisation that has been accelerated by the pandemic, children today can access digital devices and online platforms for various activities, ranging from online learning and video streaming to online games and social media. However, this also puts them at greater risk of encountering online threats. Against this backdrop, it is critical to provide children with guidance, and equip them with the essential skills to remain safe while navigating in an online environment.

According to the ESET APAC Consumer Cybersecurity Survey 2021, 94% of parents in India take various actions such as using parental control applications, checking internet browser history and limiting screen time to ensure that their children are safe from online threats. Despite the actions taken, 21% of Indian parents said their children had been exposed to inappropriate content online. In addition, 78% of them have not spoken to their children about cybersecurity.

"Cybersecurity can be a relatively new concept for some parents, as it was not taught in schools in the past. The Safer Kids Online initiative aims to empower parents, teachers and children in India to learn more about cyber wellness and how kids can stay safe online by providing free resources and materials. These materials – which are jointly developed by ESET’s cybersecurity experts and child psychologists - are designed to be fun and engaging for children across all ages. Through this initiative, we hope to play a role in protecting the safety and well-being of children online, and we remain committed to keeping the Internet safe for everyone,” said Parvinder Walia, President of Asia Pacific and Japan, ESET.

Resources for children, parents and teachers

The Safer Kids Online website includes a host of resources suitable for younger children, teenagers and their parents, which have all been developed in consultation with a notable child psychologist and ESET’s cybersecurity experts. The resources will provide guidance and advice for children and adults around how to stay safe online and will be geared around key monthly topics. The topics include how to manage screen time, looking out for signs of cyberbullying and protecting children from online predators. Each of these monthly topics will include targeted resources for different ages such as:

• A video series for kids aimed at ages 7+
• Animated comics for older children aged 11+
• An in-depth explanation in the form of expert articles and vlogs for parents

Quizzes and prize contests will also be available in which parents can win attractive prizes for their children.

The Safer Kids Online site will also provide free software, namely ESET Parental Control for Android, which allows parents to look after their children’s online well-being. ESET Parental Control includes the possibility of controlling inappropriate web content and managing the amount of time kids spend on certain devices, as well as the suitability of the applications they’re using. This allows parents to limit their child’s use of certain sites and receive reports on his or her online activities, hopefully becoming aware of any issues before they become entrenched.

Looking to the future

ESET’s future plans include running child online safety initiatives in regions around the world – from Europe and Asia to the USA and Latin America – in cooperation with its partners and local NGOs. With so many resources at the fingertips of families across the globe, ESET will provide parents and schools everywhere with the tools they need to keep their kids safe online – now and in the future.

The first country running such cooperation is the United Kingdom. ESET UK has come on board as a Gold Partner alongside specialist child safety NGO Internet Matters, providing significant contribution to guide policy and to educate. In 2020, ESET also became an official partner of AFC Bournemouth’s Community Sports Trust, which saw ESET specialists providing support for the club’s Safer Kids Online Internet safety project.