The outgoing year of 2025 has significantly transformed our access to the Web and the ways we navigate it. Radical new laws, the rise of AI assistants, and websites scrambling to block AI bots are reshaping the internet right before our eyes. So what do you need to know about these changes, and what skills and habits should you bring with you into 2026? As is our tradition, we’re framing this as eight New Year’s resolutions. What are we pledging for 2026?…

Get to know your local laws

Last year was a bumper crop for legislation that seriously changed the rules of the internet for everyday users. Lawmakers around the world have been busy:

• Banning social media for teens
• Introducing strict age verification (think scanning your ID) procedures to visit certain categories of websites
• Requiring explicit parental consent for minors to access many online services
• Applying pressure through blocks and lawsuits against platforms that wouldn’t comply with existing child protection laws — with Roblox finding itself in a particularly bright spotlight

Your best bet is to get news from sites that report calmly and without sensationalism, and to review legal experts’ commentaries. You need to understand what obligations fall on you, and, if you have underage children — what changes for them.

You might face difficult conversations with your kids about new rules for using social media or games. It’s crucial that teenage rebellion doesn’t lead to dangerous mistakes such as installing malware disguised as a “restriction-bypassing mod”, or migrating to small, unmoderated social networks. Safeguarding the younger generation requires reliable protection on their computers and smartphones, alongside parental control tools.

But it’s not just about simple compliance with laws. You’ll almost certainly encounter negative side effects that lawmakers didn’t anticipate.

Master new methods of securing access

Some websites choose to geoblock certain countries entirely to avoid the complexities of complying with regional regulations. If you’re certain your local laws allow access to the content, you can bypass these geoblocks by using a VPN. You need to select a server in a country where the site is accessible.

It’s important to choose a service that doesn’t just offer servers in the right locations, but actually enhances your privacy — as many free VPNs can effectively compromise it. We recommend Kaspersky VPN Secure Connection.

Brace for document leaks

While age verification can be implemented in different ways, it often involves websites using a third-party verification service. On your first login attempt, you’ll be redirected to a separate site to complete one of several checks: take a photo of your ID or driver’s license, use a bank card, or nod and smile for a video, and so on.

The mere idea of presenting a passport to access adult websites is deeply unpopular with many people on principle. But beyond that, there’s a serious risk of data leaks. These incidents are already a reality: data breaches have impacted a contractor used to verify Discord users, as well as service providers for TikTok and Uber. The more websites that require this verification, the higher the risk of a leak becomes.

So what can you do?

• Prioritize services that don’t require document uploads. Instead, look for those utilizing alternative age verification methods such as a micro-transaction charge to a payment card, confirmation through your bank or another trusted external provider, or behavioral/biometric analysis.
• Pick the least sensitive and easiest-to-replace document you have, and use only that one for all verifications. “Least sensitive” in this case means containing minimal personal data, and not referencing other primary identifiers like a national ID number.
• Use a separate, dedicated email address and phone number in combination with that document. For the sites and services that don’t verify your identity, use completely different contact details. This makes it much harder for your data to be easily pieced together from different leaks.

Learn scammers’ new playbook

It’s highly likely that under the guise of “age verification”, scammers will begin phishing for personal and payment data, and pushing malware onto visitors. After all, it’s very tempting to simply copy and paste some text on your computer instead of uploading a photo of your passport. Currently, ClickFix attacks are mostly disguised as CAPTCHA checks, but age verification is the logical next step for these schemes. How to lower these risks?

• Carefully check any websites that require verification. Do not complete the verification if you’ve already done it for that service before, or if you landed on the verification page via a link from a messaging app, search engine, or ad.
• Never download apps or copy and paste text for verification. All legitimate services operate within the browser window, though sometimes desktop users are asked to switch to a smartphone to complete the check.
• Analyze and be suspicious of any situation that requires entering a code received via a messaging app or SMS to access a website or confirm an action. This is often a scheme to hijack your messaging account or another critical service.
• Install reliable security software on all your computers and smartphones to help block access to scam sites. We recommend Kaspersky Premium — it provides: a secure VPN, malware protection, alerts if your personal data appears in public leaks, a password manager, parental controls, and much more.

Cultivate healthy AI usage habits

Even if you’re not a fan of AI, you’ll find it hard to avoid: it’s literally being shoved into each everyday service: Android, Chrome, MS Office, Windows, iOS, Creative Cloud… the list is endless. As with fast food, television, TikTok, and other easily accessible conveniences, the key is striking a balance between the healthy use of these assistants and developing an addiction.

Identify the areas where your mental sharpness and personal growth matter most to you. A person who doesn’t run regularly lowers their fitness level. Someone who always uses GPS navigation gets worse at reading paper maps. Wherever you value the work of your mind, offloading it to AI is a path to losing your edge. Maintain a balance: regularly do that mental work yourself — even if AI can do it well — from translating text to looking up info on Wikipedia. You don’t have to do it all the time, but remember to do it at least some of the time. For a more radical approach, you can also disable AI services wherever possible.

Know where the cost of a mistake is high. Despite developers’ best efforts, AI can sometimes deliver completely wrong answers with total confidence. These so-called hallucinations are unlikely to be fully eradicated anytime soon. Therefore, for important documents and critical decisions, either avoid using AI entirely, or scrutinize its output with extreme care. Check every number, every comma.

In other areas, feel free to experiment with AI. But even for seemingly harmless uses, remember that mistakes and hallucinations are a real possibility.

How to lower the risk of leaks. The more you use AI, the more of your information goes to the service provider. Whenever possible, prioritize AI features that run entirely on your device. This category includes things like the protection against fraudulent sites in Chrome, text translation in Firefox, the rewriting assistant in iOS, and so on. You can even run a full-fledged chatbot locally on your own computer.

AI agents need close supervision. The agentic capabilities of AI — where it doesn’t just suggest but actively does work for you — are especially risky. Thoroughly research the risks in this area before trusting an agent with online shopping or booking a vacation. And use modes where the assistant asks for your confirmation before entering personal data — let alone buying anything.

Audit your subscriptions and plans

The economics of the internet is shifting right before our eyes. The AI arms race is driving up the cost of components and computing power, tariffs and geopolitical conflicts are disrupting supply chains, and baking AI features into familiar products sometimes comes with a price hike. Practically any online service can get more expensive overnight — sometimes by double-digit percentages. Some providers are taking a different route, moving away from a fixed monthly fee to a pay-per-use model for things like songs downloaded or images generated.

To avoid nasty surprises when you check your bank statement, make it a habit to review the terms of all your paid subscriptions at least three or four times a year. You might find that a service has updated its plans and that you need to downgrade to a simpler one. Or a service might have quietly signed you up for an extra feature you’re not even aware of — and you need to disable it. Some services might be better switched to a free tier or canceled altogether. Financial literacy is becoming a must-have skill for managing your digital spending.

To get a complete picture of your subscriptions and truly understand how much you’re spending on digital services each month or year, it’s best to track them all in one place. A simple Excel or Google Docs spreadsheet works, but a dedicated app like SubsCrab is more convenient. It sends reminders for upcoming payments, shows all your spending month-by-month, and can even help you find better deals on the same or similar services.

Prioritize the longevity of your tech

The allure of powerful new processors, cameras, and AI features might tempt you to buy a new smartphone or laptop in 2026, but planning for making it last for several years should be a priority. There are a few reasons…

First, the pace of meaningful new features has slowed, and the urge to upgrade frequently has diminished for many. Second, gadget prices have risen significantly due to more expensive chips, labor, and shipping — making major purchases harder to justify. Furthermore, regulations like those in the EU now require easily replaceable batteries in new devices, meaning the part that wears out the fastest in a phone will be simpler and cheaper to swap out yourself.

So, what does it take to make sure your smartphone or laptop reliably lasts several years?

• Physical protection. Use cases, screen protectors, and maybe even a waterproof pouch.
• Proper storage. Avoid extreme temperatures, don’t leave it baking in direct sun or freezing overnight in a car at -15°C.
• Battery care. Avoid regularly draining it to single-digit percentages.
• Regular software updates. This is the trickiest part. Updates are essential for security to protect your phone or laptop from new types of attacks. However, updates can sometimes cause slowdowns, overheating, or battery drain. The prudent approach is to wait about a week after a major OS update, check feedback from users of your exact model, and only install it if the coast seems clear.

Secure your smart home

The smart home is giving way to a new concept: the intelligent home. The idea is that neural networks will help your home make its own decisions about what to do and when, all for your convenience — without needing pre-programmed routines. Thanks to the Matter 1.3 standard, a smart home can now manage not just lights, TVs, and locks, but also kitchen appliances, dryers, and even EV chargers! Even more importantly, we’re seeing a rise in devices where Matter over Thread is the native, primary communication protocol, like the new IKEA KAJPLATS lineup. Matter-powered devices from different vendors can see and communicate with each other. This means you can, say, buy an Apple HomePod as your smart home central hub and connect Philips Hue bulbs, Eve Energy plugs, and IKEA BILRESA switches to it.

All of this means that smart and intelligent homes will become more common — and so will the ways to attack them. We have a detailed article on smart home security, but here are a few key tips relevant in light of the transition to Matter.

• Consolidate your devices into a single Matter fabric. Use the minimum number of controllers, for example, one Apple TV + one smartphone. If a TV or another device accessible to many household members acts as a controller, be sure to use password security and other available restrictions for critical functions.
• Choose a hub and controller from major manufacturers with a serious commitment to security.
• Minimize the number of devices connecting your Matter fabric to the internet. These devices — referred to as Border Routers — must be well-protected from external cyberattacks, for example, by restricting their access at the level of your home internet router.
• Regularly audit your home network for any suspicious, unknown devices. In your Matter fabric, this is done via your controller or hub, and in your home network — via your primary router or a feature like Smart Home Monitor in Kaspersky Premium.

Admit it: you’ve been meaning to jump on the latest NFT reincarnation — Telegram Gifts — but just haven’t gotten around to it. It’s the hottest trend right now. Developers are churning out collectible images in partnership with celebs like Snoop Dogg. All your friends’ profiles are already decked out with these modish pictures, and you’re dying to hop on this hype train — but pay as little as possible for it.

And then it happens — a stranger messages you privately with a generous offer: a chance to snag a couple of these digital gifts — with no investment required. A bot that looks completely legit is running an airdrop. In the world of NFTs, an airdrop is a promotional stunt where a small number of new crypto assets are given away for free. The buzzword has been adopted on Telegram, thanks to the crypto nature of these gifts and the NFT mechanics running under the hood.

They’re offering you these gift images for free — or so they say. You could later attach them to your profile or sell them for Telegram’s native currency, Toncoin. You don’t even have to tap an external link. Just hit a button in the message, launch a Mini App right inside Telegram itself, and enter your login credentials. And then… your account immediately gets hijacked. You won’t get any gifts, and overall, you’ll be left with anything but a celebratory feeling.

Today, we break down a phishing scheme that exploits Telegram’s built-in Mini Apps, and share tips to help you avoid falling for these attacks.

How the new phishing scheme works

The principle of classic phishing is straightforward: the user gets a link to a fake website that mimics a legitimate sign-in form. When the victim enters their credentials, this data goes straight to the scammer. However, phishing tactics are constantly evolving, and this new attack method is far more insidious.

The bad actors create phishing Mini Apps directly inside Telegram. These appear as standard web pages but are embedded within the messaging app’s interface instead of opening in an external browser. To the user, these apps look completely legitimate. After all, they run within the official Telegram app itself.

This leads the victim to think, “If this app runs inside Telegram, there must be some kind of vetting process for these apps. Surely they wouldn’t let an obvious scam through?” In practice, it turns out that’s not the case at all.

How is this scheme even a thing?

A core security issue with Telegram Mini Apps is that the platform does almost no vetting before an app goes live. This is a world apart from the strict review processes used by Google Play and the App Store — although even there, obvious malware occasionally slips through.

On Telegram, it’s far easier for bad actors. Essentially, anyone who wishes to create and launch a Mini App can do so. Telegram does not review the code, functionality, or the developer’s intent. This turns a security flaw within a messaging service boasting nearly a billion global users into a global-scale problem. To make matters worse, moderation of these Mini Apps within Telegram is entirely reactive — meaning action is only taken after users start complaining or law enforcement gets involved.

In this case, the bait was “gifts” from UFC fighters: a giveaway of “papakhas” — digital gift images of the traditional Dagestani hat released by Telegram in partnership with Khabib Nurmagomedov. An auction for these items did take place, with Pavel Durov even posting about it on his X and Telegram (Khabib reposted these announcements but later deleted them after the auction ended). However, there were only 29 000 of these “papakhas” released, which wasn’t enough to satisfy all the eager fans. Scammers seized on the opportunity, assuring fans they could get the exclusive items for free. The phishing campaign was a targeted one — focusing on users who’d been active on the athlete’s channel.

How the scammers lull their victims

The criminals leveraged the name of the popular Portals platform — a legitimate service for games, apps, and entertainment within Telegram. They created a series of Mini Apps that were visually almost indistinguishable from the real ones, and promoted them as free giveaways — airdrops.

That said, the scam campaigns themselves show signs of being rushed and cutting design and copywriting costs — with obvious signs of AI involvement. Some of the messages contain leftover text fragments clearly generated by a neural network, which the scammers either forgot or couldn’t be bothered to edit.

How to protect your Telegram account from being hacked

The golden security rules are simple: stay vigilant, and learn the key hallmarks of these attacks:

• Verify the source. If you receive a link promising a giveaway from a celebrity or even Telegram itself but sent from an unfamiliar account or a dubious group, don’t click. Cross-check through the celebrity or company’s official channel to see if they’re actually running a promo like that.
• Inspect the account verification badge. Ascertain that the blue checkmark is real and not just an emoji status or part of the profile name. You can verify this by simply tapping that checkmark icon in the profile. If it’s a Premium emoji status, Telegram will explicitly tell you so. If a checkmark emoji is simply added to the profile name, tapping it doesn’t do anything. But if the account is genuinely verified, tapping the blue checkmark will bring up an official confirmation message from Telegram.
• Don’t be in a rush to authenticate in Mini Apps. Legitimate Telegram apps typically don’t require you to sign in again through a form inside the Mini App. If you’re prompted to enter your phone number or a verification code, it’s likely a phishing attempt.
• Look for signs of AI-generated text or design. Weird grammar, unnatural phrasing, or leftover neural network prompts within a message are a red flag. Scammers frequently use AI-powered generation to churn out text quickly and cheaply.
• Turn on two-step verification (your Telegram password). Do this right now in Settings → Privacy and Security → Two-Step Verification. Even if a scammer manages to get your phone number and SMS code, they won’t be able to access your account without this password. Obviously, never share your password with anyone — it’s meant only for you to sign in to your Telegram account.
• Use a passkey to secure your account. A recent Telegram update added the ability to securely sign in with a passkey. We’ve covered using passkeys with popular services and the associated caveats in detail. A passkey makes it nearly impossible for a malicious actor to steal your account. You can set one up in Settings → Privacy and Security → Passkeys.
• Store your password and passkey in a password manager. If you’ve secured your account with both a password and a passkey, remember that a weak, reused, or compromised password can still be the proverbial “spare key under the mat” for attackers — even if the “front door” is locked with a passkey. Therefore, we recommend creating a strong, unique password for Telegram and storing it — along with your passkey — in Kaspersky Password Manager. This keeps your credentials and keys available across all your devices.
• Install Kaspersky for Android on your smartphone. Its new anti-phishing technology protects you from phishing links embedded in notifications from any app.

What to do if your Telegram account was already stolen

The key is keeping calm and acting swiftly. You have just 24 hours to reclaim your account, or you risk losing it permanently. Follow the step-by-step guide to restoring access in our post What to do if your Telegram account is hacked.

Finally, a reminder that has become our classic mantra: if an offer looks too good to be true, it almost certainly is. Always verify information through official channels, and never enter your passwords or passkeys into unofficial apps or forms — even if they look legit. Stay vigilant and stay safe.

Want more tips on securing your messenger accounts and chats? Check out our related posts:

• Messengers 101: safety and privacy advice
• Messaging other platforms via WhatsApp: the pros and cons
• WhatsApp and Telegram account hijacking: How to protect yourself against scams
• What to do if your WhatsApp account gets hacked
• What to do if your Telegram account is hacked