The UAE Cyber Security Council (CSC) has warned of growing risks linked to users’ digital footprints, saying more than 1.4 billion accounts are hacked globally each month.

The council said every login, post or interaction online leaves a trace that can be exploited. It identified two types of digital footprints- a passive footprint, collected without the users’ knowledge through tracking or data gathering by websites and apps; and an active footprint, intentionally created by users through photos, videos, comments and posts.