In the eGov Mobile app, a new service called Nomad Guard has been introduced, designed to check the security of personal data.
According to Zakon.kz, users can use it to detect data leaks, analyse links for phishing, and receive threat alerts.
For reference: phishing is a type of internet fraud aimed at gaining access to users' confidential data — such as usernames and passwords. Fraudsters, posing as well-known companies or acquaintances, send fake messages containing malicious files to steal data.
The service allows you to enter a website URL or a specific link, after which the check result will be displayed in the "My Checks" section.
The report indicates the level of risk and provides information on possible leaks: the source, volume, and content of the compromised data. In a separate tab, you can submit a complaint about a suspicious resource.
According to the developers, the need to introduce Nomad Guard is due to the low level of digital literacy among the population. Based on an online survey conducted within the app, a significant portion of Kazakh citizens have a poor understanding of cybersecurity issues:
- 53% of respondents do not know what steps to take in the event of a data leak;
- 62% do not understand what phishing is;
- 31% never change their account passwords;
- 92% stated that they do not share SMS codes with supposed 'bank employees'.
To use the service, you must:
- log in to the eGov Mobile app;
- go to the "Other Services" section;
- enter a link and submit it for checking;
- review the results in the "My Checks" section.
Additional tabs are available with educational materials, the latest cybersecurity news, and self-assessment tests.
For the record, in March last year, Kazakh citizens were notified about a leak of their personal data in the eGov Mobile app. Notifications were also sent to those who had never taken out loans from microfinance organisations.