The new craze – online personal training in 2025: Kaspersky advises you how to keep your fitness adventure safe in the new year

Health and fitness goals consistently top the list of “New Year’s resolutions” around the world, as evidenced by the annual reports.

In line with that trend, a real online personal training craze has emerged, fueled by the influence of social networks like Instagram and TikTok. As people begin their fitness and detox adventures this new year, many are turning to these services without fully understanding the potential security risks to themselves and their data. To help users safely overcome these challenges, Kaspersky provides guidance on how to avoid these risks and what measures to take to ensure that the experience is free of security breaches.

Social media is changing personal training in ways that offline services simply can’t match. By creating engaging content such as exercise demonstrations, transformation stories, fitness tips, etc., personal trainers become influencers in their own right, reaching a global audience and motivating followers to pay for their services. In fact, the global online fitness market is expected to grow by at an annual rate of 29.6 percent until 2033.

However, signing up for these virtual programs often involves sharing sensitive personal information, such as health data, photos of exercise progress, movement maps and payment information, with someone you may never have met. Often, a large part of this exchange takes place through the trainer’s social media profiles or messaging tools without any contracts or adequate formal documents. This significantly increases the risk of users’ personal information being compromised or misused. Although specific security breaches related to online personal training services have not been reported by a large number of people, fitness apps have often been in the spotlight for similar issues. Given the similarities between fitness apps and online trainers, it is imperative that users exercise caution.

Among the forms of data misuse in this context are, among others:

1. Exposure to third-party tools: trainers often rely on third-party apps or platforms for scheduling, payments, communication and personalized fitness programs. If these tools are not secure, they can represent weak points in data protection.
2. Exploitation of progress photos: progress photos, which often include semi-clothed or sensitive photos, can be used without consent for malicious purposes or leaked online.
3. Risk of misrepresentation: if an influencer’s account is compromised, hackers could impersonate them and demand personal information or payments from followers.

“Online personal training programs may not be completely safe in themselves; however, users often overlook simple precautions that can protect them from major problems,” says Dragan Davidović, Managing Director of Kasperksy for Eastern Europe. protected themselves. For example:

• Check the identity of the trainer: Research trainer qualifications and certifications through trusted fitness organizations. Look for reviews and recommendations from verified customers. Check if their profile on social networks is verified (blue mark or similar).
• Avoid opening unverified links: Never open links in unknown messages or emails with fitness offers. Instead, go directly to the trainer’s official website or a trusted platform.
• ProveriteHTTPS: Make sure that any website you are directed to uses HTTPS in the URL, which indicates that it is secure.
• Don’t share too much information: Share only basic information and ensure that sensitive data, such as health records or progress photos, is shared via secure and encrypted platforms.
• Use antivirus software: reliable antivirus like Kaspersky Premium protects your devices from viruses and malware in real time, blocking malicious sites, phishing emails, infected ads and credit card skimmers that hackers create to steal your information.

These precautions significantly strengthen your security, allowing you to enjoy the benefits of online fitness programs with greater peace of mind and less risk of potential data breaches.