holiday season online security.
you better watch out, you better not cry.
The holiday season can be a hectic time of year. Due to inflation and high interest rates, holiday season bargains started early this year. Consumers, chasing the best offer deals and big discounts, will unfortunately be more likely to shop on questionable websites and less likely to think before they click on holiday-themed scam emails.
This is the perfect environment for holiday scams and malicious cyberattacks, and a busy time for cybercriminals,m who are trying to take advantage of you, prey on emotions to pry credit card numbers, login credentials and other personally identifiable information. When shopping online during the holiday season, be wary of deals that seem too good to be true.
is that really santa or just the grinch in disguise.
Scammers are looking for critical information. Credit card information is very valuable, but a lot of your personal identifiable information is also prized. The more scammers know about you, the more sophisticated the scam can be.
Holiday scams come in many forms - fraudulent ads, emails, calls, and texts. Fraudsters frequently take advantage of the holidays to push themed scams through online ads, misleading calls, phishing emails, and text messages.
These scams are often carefully crafted and branded to look like they have a legitimate purpose and come from a legitimate retailer or other organization.
Cybercriminals may tout fraudulent mobile apps or webpages related to the holidays or current events, with the goal of convincing victims to enter personal or financial data.
Another holiday scam can use a social media platform to try to lure victims in by promoting popular products at deep discounts.
Even gift cards can be targeted for cyber scams. Scammers can use bots to test millions of combinations of gift card numbers and PINs on retailer websites. Once they find an active card, they drain the money either by purchasing items for themselves or selling the card’s credentials on the dark web.
Whether you are shopping online, donating online or traveling, be aware that you can always fight back against scammers and better protect your personal information.
safety tips for shopping online.
These precautions can go a long way toward ensuring your online safety.
keep a clean machine.
Before picking out that perfect gift, be sure that all internet-connected devices, including PCs, smartphones and tablets, are free from malware and viruses.
use secure Wi-Fi
Using free public Wi-Fi to shop online while at your favorite coffee shop is convenient, but it is not cyber safe. Don’t make purchases while connected to public Wi-Fi; instead use a virtual private network (VPN) or your phone as a hotspot.
lock down your login
Create long and unique passwords for all accounts and use multi-factor authentication wherever possible.
resist the urge
Be wary of offers too good to be true – no matter how tempting they might be. Buy only from trusted and established online retailers and avoid websites of retailers you’ve never heard of.
think before you click
Do not provide sensitive information through email. Do not open emails from unknown senders or click on attachments or links in suspicious messages. Be wary of phishing emails that are often designed to look like an authentic message from a well-known brand. In recent years, some of the most convincing phishing emails have taken the form of shipping notifications complete with barcodes that look like they're from FedEx or UPS. Increasingly, fake shipping notifications are coming in the form of texts. Holiday-themed mobile or text (SMS) phishing, also known as smishing, grow every year. Nearly two thirds of those messages sent worldwide are in some aah related to a delivery or a retail brand.
shop securely
Check websites for the https and padlock to make sure you’re shopping on a site that uses SSL protection. The easiest way to tell is to check your browser’s address bar. Look for URL that begins with "https:" (instead of "http:") and a padlock icon. Sites without the "s" are not safe to submit payment information or other personal details to. Also, be aware that some attackers may try to trick website visitors by displaying a fake padlock icon, so be sure that the icon looks authentic.
pay wisely
Use a credit card or prepaid debit card instead of a debit card linked to your bank account. Or, use a reliable, established third-party payment service, such as Google Pay, Apple Pay or PayPal.
monitor your accounts
Regularly check your online financial accounts for suspicious spending. Also, take advantage of text and email alerting services that many banks and credit card companies offer.
safety tips for giving online.
Online thieves know the holidays spark the desire to give back, making charity donations a hot target. Take basic cybersecurity precautions to ward off a visit from a cyber Grinch.
do your research first
Never feel pressured to give on the spot. Learn about charities and how they spend the money they receive as well as what types of organizations can get tax-deductible donations.
ignore unsolicited requests
Be wary of emails and phone calls asking for donations, especially from organizations unfamiliar to you.
think before you pay
Never wire money or send cash. When writing a check, make it payable to the organization or pay via credit card. If you donate online, make sure the website is secure.
double check the website
Check website URLs carefully since cybercriminals often create websites and names that are very similar to legitimate, reputable organizations. Check the spelling of the organization's name and the URL very closely for discrepancies.
safety tips for traveling.
No one is exempt from the threat of cybercrime, at home or on the go. Follow these simple tips to stay safe online when traveling this holiday season.
avoid free Wi-Fi
Although connecting to free public Wi-Fi sounds great, it is often unsecure and can expose your devices and personal information to hackers. Instead, use a VPN or your mobile phone as a hotspot when going online.
confirm your network
If you do connect to public Wi-Fi, be sure to confirm the name of the network and exact login procedures with appropriate staff to ensure that the network is legitimate.
disable auto-connect on your devices
If your mobile phone or table automatically connect to wireless networks or Bluetooth devices, disable those features and connect manually only when you want to.
secure your devices
Keep track of your laptop, smartphone, tablet and accessories such as external drives, and don’t leave your devices unattended in public places.
avoid shared computers
If using computers at hotel business centers and other places that offer shared systems, avoid making purchases or logging into email. You don’t know if the systems are up to date with the latest security software or if the machines are safe.
may your holidays remain merry and bright.
Whatever you are planning to do and whenever going online this festive season, never forget that, like the Grinch gazing down at Whoville, cybercriminals are watching and they're ready to take advantage of you.
In case a cyber Grinch surprises you with an unauthorized access and data corruption, Kotar Data Recovery is always here to help. We have been successfully recovering data from viruses, malware infection, including RansomWare and CryptoLocker attacks since 1999.
Have an stress-free, joyous holiday season and a prosperous New Year!
