As Indonesia’s digital economy continues to expand rapidly, the threat of cybercrime is also on the rise. The growing popularity of online transactions, digital shopping, and internet use through mobile devices has created more opportunities for cybercriminals to carry out various types of fraud.
According to data from the Indonesia Anti Scam Center (IASC), more than 548,000 cybercrime reports were recorded between January 2024 and April 2026. Online fraud and phishing remain the most frequently reported forms of cybercrime.
Michael Tegos, Product Privacy & Security Advocate at Opera, said that cybercrime often stems from digital habits that appear harmless. Simple actions such as clicking suspicious links, using weak passwords, and connecting to unsecured networks can create opportunities for cybercriminals to steal personal data or take over users’ accounts.
Michael highlighted several seemingly minor habits that can expose users to cyber threats. One of them is leaving dozens of browser tabs open for days at a time.
“This habit doesn’t just make your browser run more slowly. Some tabs that remain active can continue running trackers, loading advertisements, or collecting data in the background without your knowledge. The more tabs you keep open, the greater the potential risks to your security and privacy,” Michael said in a press release on Wednesday, July 1, 2026.
Another risky habit, he explained, is automatically clicking “Accept All” on cookie consent pop-ups.
Not all cookies are essential for a website’s technical functionality. Some are designed to track users’ activities across multiple websites to gather information about their browsing habits and interests. This data can then be used to deliver highly targeted advertisements.
In some cases, cybercriminals may also exploit this information to create more convincing phishing attacks or online scams that are tailored to a victim’s online behavior.
Another common habit that increases cyber risks is installing too many browser extensions simply because they make browsing more convenient. However, not all extensions are safe.
“Some extensions can collect browsing data, monitor online activities, or request permissions that are unnecessary for their intended functions. In more serious cases, malicious browser extensions have been used to steal login credentials, inject suspicious advertisements, or redirect users to harmful websites without their knowledge,” Michael explained.
Finally, he warned against ignoring browser updates simply because everything appears to be functioning normally.
Browser updates are not only intended to introduce new features. Most updates also contain critical security patches designed to fix newly discovered vulnerabilities that could otherwise be exploited by cybercriminals.***
