Safeonweb now also has an app that allows you to stay informed in a quick and easy way. This application alerts you to cyber threats and online scams. The Safeonweb app sends two types of alerts: 'Threats', if an infection on your registered home network has been reported to Safeonweb, and 'News', which is about the general cyber threat in our country.
What is 'news'?
News provides information on current cyber threats in Belgium. These posts cover current vulnerabilities, new phishing campaigns, and tips for keeping yourself even more secure online.
What are 'threats'?
Threats are alerts that are specific to your network.
The Centre for Cybersecurity Belgium (CCB) receives daily information from partners about infected or vulnerable systems in Belgium. Our database currently contains information about more than 1,000 systems with a computer virus and about more than 10,000 systems with a vulnerability. The CCB receives this information, but cannot identify the users of a given Internet (IP) address. The sole purpose of the CCB is to inform and warn on the basis of the information received and available.
This Safeonweb App will regularly check if your IP address has remained unchanged for a sufficiently long period of time, which is the case for a lot of Belgian Internet connections, and will inform you if a computer virus has been reported by an external partner.
How do I install the Safeonweb app?
You can install the Safeonweb app by searching and installing 'Safeonweb' in your app store. The Safeonweb app is provided free of charge for iOS (App Store) and Android (Google Play Store).
When using the app for the first time, you must declare that you have read and agree to the terms and conditions of use. These can be found here.
How do I register my home network?
To receive threats you need to register your network. How can you do this?
- Make sure you are connected to your own home network
- Turn on your location tracking
- Provide a valid email address to verify your registration
- A code will be sent to your e-mail address. Enter this code in the Safeonweb app.
Your network and associated IP address are registered. You will receive messages from now on.
- Safeonweb only uses this data to send alerts, not to scan your network.
- You can only register a wifi network if you own it or have permission from the owner of the network.
- Safeonweb can only send threats to Belgian IP addresses.
Why do I have to give my network and IP address?
With your network and IP address, we can send 'threats'. Threats" are alerts specific to your network. These threats are delivered by different partners. Safeonweb does not scan your network. The Safeonweb app needs access to your location to determine if you are indeed on the registered network.
Why does Safeonweb need my location?
The Safeonweb app needs access to your location to determine if you are indeed on the registered network. For iOS and Android, retrieving the name of your current network (SSID - service set identifier) is only possible if your location tracking is turned on. Safeonweb is only interested in your Wi-Fi data so it can send threat alerts that are specific to your network. You only need to activate location tracking when using the app.
Why do I have to enter my email address?
An e-mail address is required to send a verification code. You need this code to register your network. The e-mail address is deleted after sending the code. We, therefore, do not keep any of your e-mail data.
I don't want to register my network. Can I still receive the news?
Yes. The Safeonweb app works perfectly without registering your network. You will continue to be warned about current cyber threats in Belgium (news).
Can I register two networks?
No. At the moment it is not possible to register two networks at the same time. We therefore recommend that you choose one network. However, you can install an app on another device (tablet, mobile phone family member) and register the other network there. Please note that you can only register a network when you are connected to it.
Does the app work with a VPN?
No. It is very useful to use a VPN to surf the web. However, using a VPN changes your public IP. We advise you not to use your VPN when registering your home network. However, it is still useful to register your home network. We will then only send threats to the devices on your home network.
Does the app work for dynamic IPs?
Our app is designed to handle dynamic IP addresses. The app registers your Wi-Fi network and requests its IP. If this changes it will also appear in the app.
Where does Safeonweb get the information about infections?
Information on infections is provided by a variety of commercial and open-source partners. The information about infections is not obtained from information on your network. Safeonweb does not scan your network.
Why is my IP address changing?
There are static and dynamic IP addresses. A static IP address never changes. As a result, you retain your fixed IP address. A dynamic IP changes frequently, so you never keep the same IP address. Which type of IP address you have depends on the package you have from your internet provider. Safeonweb app can send threat alerts for both static and dynamic IP addresses.
Does the Safeonweb app scan my network?
No. The information about infections is provided by various partners, both commercial and open sources. The information about infections is not obtained from information on your network.
Why am I not receiving threat alerts?
We have no information about a current threat to your network.
Can I delete news items in the app?
No. It is not possible to delete news items.
What data does Safeonweb receive from me?
Safeonweb only keeps data for the operation of the alert system. So this is the name of your Wi-Fi network (SSID), the associated public IP address, and a unique Firebase code. Read more information on the use of personal data here.
Is GDPR legislation being complied with?
The data that the Safeonweb app uses is Firebase (cloud messaging), ID (unique code), SSID (service set identifier - Wi-Fi name), location, IP address, time, and email address.
The IP address is sent from the app to Safeonweb. Safeonweb then checks to see if any infections have been reported by cyber security partners for your IP address. If this is the case, Safeonweb sends an alert via the Firebase cloud messaging system. The SSID and location are stored locally in the app and are not shared with Safeonweb. Read more information on the processing of personal data in Safeonweb here.
Can I also use the app on my desktop computer or laptop?
No. Safeonweb app is a mobile app. It is therefore only available on smartphones and tablets running Android and iOS.
If you do not have a smartphone, there are two options to still receive the news.
- Option 1: regularly check https://www.safeonweb.be/index.php/en/news. All alerts in the app will also be published on our website.
- Option 2: use our RSS feed: https://www.safeonweb.be/index.php/en/rss. In your mailbox, you can set it to send you an email when a new article is posted on our website.
I cannot click on the 'confirm' button. What to do?
Sometimes there are problems with the 'confirm' button. It helps to close and restart the application. If you continue to have problems, check that your phone is still using a recent version of Android or iOS. We recommend that you perform updates as soon as possible and use the latest version of the operating system.
The application crashes. What to do?
It helps to close and restart the application. If you continue to have problems, check that your phone is still running a recent version of Android or iOS. We recommend that you perform updates as soon as possible and use the latest version of the operating system.
Why am I not receiving my verification code?
It may be that there is a delay in receiving the verification code. If you still have not received a code after 30 minutes, you can enter your email address again.
My email address is 'invalid'. What to do?
Some e-mail addresses are not immediately recognised by our app. First of all, check that you have not made a typing error. It helps to close and restart the application. If you continue to have problems, check that your phone is still using a recent version of Android or iOS. We recommend that you perform updates as soon as possible and use the latest version of the operating system.
Why can't the Safeonweb app replace a virus scanner?
A virus scanner scans your device in its entirety. A virus scanner is the most important piece of software to protect your computer and your data. So don't remove your virus scanner. The Safeonweb app does not scan your device, but it does give you information about infections on your network. The Safeonweb app is a tool to protect your network, while a virus scanner is for a specific device. If you are using the Safeonweb app, we recommend that you still use your anti-virus scanner on all your devices.
Learn more about virus scanners.
What does 'this service is currently unavailable' mean?
This error message means that the Safeonweb app is not able to detect your home network. This can have several causes: connected to 4G, on public wifi, etc. Try to connect to your home network. If it doesn't work, we advise you to try again later. In the meantime, you will still receive the news messages.
Can I report phishing using the app?
No. Currently it is not possible to report phishing messages yourself in the app. You can forward all suspicious messages to suspicious@safeonweb.be. More info: https://www.safeonweb.be/en/what-suspicioussafeonwebbe
