We all love online quizzes during the work day, maybe to see what type of bread we are really meant to be or just to sneak a break from busy work. But, do you know where your data is going? More importantly, what data are you providing these quizzes? We’ll explore this further in our blog.

What is an online quiz and where do people do them?

Online quizzes are a fun pastime that many kids and adults too enjoy. These can be found on Facebook or other sites such as Buzzfeed or Zimbio. Most of them consist of clickbait titles, eye-catching photos and headlines. For example, ‘What Marvel Characters Are You?’ or ‘Can You Pass This Really Difficult Disney Quiz?’. The interactive headings make people enticed to do the quizzes and share the results with their friends.

What data are these quizzes collecting?

Taking online quizzes is a good way to kill time when we are bored, however, we need to keep in mind that online quizzes are initially designed to collect information, our information. People might not be clear on how hackers steal their data behind online quiz websites. ‘I just typed the name of my first pet on a quiz, how do they know my bank details?’. In fact, the information an online quiz is able to gather is much more than you thought. Here are some common data they collect:

⦁ Your IP address
⦁ Your website logins, history and cache
⦁ Your residential address and phone number
⦁ Your personal information e.g. name, date of birth, blood type, preferences, etc

What are the dangers?

As we mentioned before, online quizzes are designed to collect user information, which are often used as the security questions to recover passwords on websites. When a user answers those questions , scammers could give hackers a way into their important accounts. Some quizzes even dangle prizes to let users provide more identifiable information in case they win, including bank details and security code.

How can we protect ourselves from these dangers?

⦁ Staying vigilant when the internet quiz websites ask you for your financial information to win prizes/money. If you are not 100% sure whether they do the right thing, don’t engage with it. Once you provide the websites your bank details, it will be an irreversible process so think carefully about the possible ramifications before you take the quiz.

⦁ At IP Partners, we provide end-to-end IT security solutions. Our consulting services are tailored to help protect you or your business from fraud. If you want to have your business supported by our specialist/cybersecurity, call us on (08) 7200 5524 or email sales@ippartners.com.au to discuss how we can assist you.

Ref:

Webroot, How Online Quizzes and Surveys Use Your Information, viewed 31 August, https://www.webroot.com/au/en/resources/tips-articles/what-you-need-to-know-about-online-quizzes-and-surveys
https://www.9news.com.au/national/facebook-scam-phishes-for-usernames-passwords-security-hack/0d5de894-fe1f-408e-becd-6c46389fc3b5

Cyberunit 2021, How Safe Are Online Quizzes?, viewed 31 August, https://www.cyberunit.com/blog/how-safe-are-online-quizzes

Tampa Bay, Cybersecurity experts warn against social media trending quizzes, free apps, viewed 31 August https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/cybersecurity-experts-warn-against-social-media-trending-quizzes-free-apps/67-5facf3a4-aed6-4db4-836b-35c7071ae766