Cyber Threats Atlas

The Cyber Threats Atlas is a reference collection that introduces the threat and fraud patterns you may meet in the digital world. Its aim is not to frighten you; it is to let you recognise a pattern the moment you see it.

Scope: threat and fraud patterns

The atlas covers common threat patterns, from phishing messages to malicious software, and from telephone fraud scenarios to methods of account takeover. Each record explains how the threat works, where it tries to catch you, the signs that give it away and the steps that protect you. Technical detail is given only as far as it serves your protection; the aim is not to make you an expert but to leave you prepared.

Filters: by channel and by target

You can sift the records by the channel the threat arrives through, such as email, telephone, messaging, social media or the web, and by what it is after: money, account details, personal data, your device. When you arrive with a real situation such as "someone rang me saying they were from the bank", you can find and compare the relevant patterns quickly.

Reading the records: recognising the pattern is enough

Fraud scenarios change their costume constantly, but their skeletons are remarkably fixed: the pressure of urgency, the impersonation of authority, the promise of a prize, fear. The records show you that skeleton; once you know it, new costumes will not catch you out. If you meet a suspicious situation, do not decide in a hurry, and verify through an official channel. For the basic habits of protection, the security content in the Technology section is the preparation for this atlas.

Frequently asked questions

I think I have been defrauded; what should I do?

First change the passwords of the accounts concerned from a secure device; if your bank is involved, ring your bank on its official number, and report the matter to the official authorities if that is needed. This atlas gives preventive information; in an emergency the official channels are what count.

Do these records reflect current threats?

The atlas concentrates on lasting patterns; the surface of fraud scenarios changes, but the skeleton stays largely the same. The records are reviewed regularly and important new patterns are added.

I have no technical knowledge; is this content for me?

Yes, the atlas was written for exactly that reader. The records are told in everyday language through real-life scenarios; technical terms are explained where they appear.

First published: 2026-08-12Last reviewed: 2026-08-12Editorial status: working editionReport an error