It’s the most wonderful time of the year — and not to mention the most chaotic.
Whether you’re trying to meet end of the year deadlines, shop for last-minute gifts, snag seasonal deals, or plan a festive party, it’s common to find yourself much more distracted than usual around the holidays. Unfortunately, this hectic holiday spirit is a breeding ground for cybercrime and other nefarious online activity. Hackers use this chaos to their advantage; in fact, a 2020 Experian survey found that one in four Americans have been a victim of identity theft or fraud during the holidays.
To keep your online security and privacy in check, here are some tips to keep in mind this holiday season.
Even if you see an unbeatable deal with only an hour left in the sale, it’s important to not get caught up in the fervor of online activity during the holidays. Like we mentioned earlier, cybercriminals and hackers thrive on this frantic energy to slip in and scam when they can. That’s why it’s strongly encouraged to stay extra vigilant and careful around the holidays when you’re online. Double check you’re using encrypted websites, pay attention to phishing and signs of other scams, and don’t give any personal or financial information away too quickly. While you’re at, familiarize yourself with the various attack vectors that bad actors use to do their damage.
Like we mentioned above, identity theft and other forms of cybercrime tend to spike around the holiday season. Be sure to keep a closer eye on your bank statements more regularly to prevent any suspicious activity from flying under your radar. Make it a daily habit (or at least every other day) to glance at your statements and scan for anything out of the ordinary.
Found a deal online you just can’t say no to? Do yourself a favor and pause before going for it. Even if you’ve stumbled upon the Black Friday bargain of a lifetime, deals that seem too good to be true usually are just that. Steer away from ridiculously-cheap prices, and always stay wary of Instagram and other social media ads, emails, and other pop-ups that can lure you in while fronting for something much more fraudulent. If you want to dig into it, be sure to look up the alleged deal from the website directly to ensure it’s legitimate. In simple terms, think before you buy. Check out our Safe Link Checker for more insight on what to look out for.
When you place an online order, companies typically send out an email with the tracking info for your package that contains a link to view its status. While this is convenient to the customer, it’s not uncommon for cybercriminals to create legitimate-looking phishing emails that mimic these actual tracking emails. Take the extra precaution of checking on the status of your order by avoiding clicking the tracking link in the email and directly going to the website you ordered from instead. For a quick refresher on phishing emails and what to look out for, take a look at our guide here.
If you’re the charitable type when the holidays roll around, be sure to proceed with caution. Many criminals take advantage of the gift-giving spirit to try and scam people into “donating” their money. To stay safe, take time to do a little research ahead of making any charitable donations. Only donate to reputable and trusted charities, and always verify phone numbers for them. Be wary of emails from unfamiliar senders that ask for donations, as these are more than likely scams. And even if a familiar brand pops into your inbox asking for your money, skip the risk and visit their website or call them directly to learn more.
While this piece of advice is the golden standard no matter the season, public Wi-Fi should be treated with extra caution around this time. If you’re traveling for the holidays and relying on airport and hotel hotspots, keep in mind that public Wi-Fi is inherently unsafe. Any person using the same network can spy on your internet traffic and potentially steal or jeopardize your private details. Keep your connection secure by using a VPN. Our Internet Shield VPN is a simple and secure option for keeping your Wi-Fi activity completely shielded from third-party snooping, and protects up to 10 devices.
Before you get started with any online shopping, take a few minutes to update all your passwords to stronger, harder-to-guess passwords. With increased cybercrime during this season, bad actors are working even harder to crack passwords and do serious damage. To create a strong password, combine letters and numbers instead of just letters, and opt for longer phrases instead of simple words. Never use passwords with words that could be easy to figure out with the right snooping, such as your birthday or mother’s maiden name.
To add an extra layer of protection to your finances while shopping online, always use a credit card. In the case of theft or hacking, using a credit card ensures an easier solution to the issue as it will affect the bank and not your actual money. This also limits the amount of money the thief can steal.
With these simple online habits, you’ll be able to enjoy the holiday season without the stress of putting your privacy and security at risk.
The post Holiday Cybersecurity Tips Everyone Should Know appeared first on VIPRE.
Whether you’re trying to meet end of the year deadlines, shop for last-minute gifts, snag seasonal deals, or plan a festive party, it’s common to find yourself much more distracted than usual around the holidays. Unfortunately, this hectic holiday spirit is a breeding ground for cybercrime and other nefarious online activity. Hackers use this chaos to their advantage; in fact, a 2020 Experian survey found that one in four Americans have been a victim of identity theft or fraud during the holidays.
To keep your online security and privacy in check, here are some tips to keep in mind this holiday season.
1. Slow down online.
Even if you see an unbeatable deal with only an hour left in the sale, it’s important to not get caught up in the fervor of online activity during the holidays. Like we mentioned earlier, cybercriminals and hackers thrive on this frantic energy to slip in and scam when they can. That’s why it’s strongly encouraged to stay extra vigilant and careful around the holidays when you’re online. Double check you’re using encrypted websites, pay attention to phishing and signs of other scams, and don’t give any personal or financial information away too quickly. While you’re at, familiarize yourself with the various attack vectors that bad actors use to do their damage.
2. Check your credit and bank statements more often than you usually do.
Like we mentioned above, identity theft and other forms of cybercrime tend to spike around the holiday season. Be sure to keep a closer eye on your bank statements more regularly to prevent any suspicious activity from flying under your radar. Make it a daily habit (or at least every other day) to glance at your statements and scan for anything out of the ordinary.
3. Remember the golden rule: if it looks too good to be true, it probably is.
Found a deal online you just can’t say no to? Do yourself a favor and pause before going for it. Even if you’ve stumbled upon the Black Friday bargain of a lifetime, deals that seem too good to be true usually are just that. Steer away from ridiculously-cheap prices, and always stay wary of Instagram and other social media ads, emails, and other pop-ups that can lure you in while fronting for something much more fraudulent. If you want to dig into it, be sure to look up the alleged deal from the website directly to ensure it’s legitimate. In simple terms, think before you buy. Check out our Safe Link Checker for more insight on what to look out for.
4. Check the status of your order directly on the website that you purchased from.
When you place an online order, companies typically send out an email with the tracking info for your package that contains a link to view its status. While this is convenient to the customer, it’s not uncommon for cybercriminals to create legitimate-looking phishing emails that mimic these actual tracking emails. Take the extra precaution of checking on the status of your order by avoiding clicking the tracking link in the email and directly going to the website you ordered from instead. For a quick refresher on phishing emails and what to look out for, take a look at our guide here.
5. Watch out for charity scams.
If you’re the charitable type when the holidays roll around, be sure to proceed with caution. Many criminals take advantage of the gift-giving spirit to try and scam people into “donating” their money. To stay safe, take time to do a little research ahead of making any charitable donations. Only donate to reputable and trusted charities, and always verify phone numbers for them. Be wary of emails from unfamiliar senders that ask for donations, as these are more than likely scams. And even if a familiar brand pops into your inbox asking for your money, skip the risk and visit their website or call them directly to learn more.
6. Use public Wi-Fi with caution while traveling.
While this piece of advice is the golden standard no matter the season, public Wi-Fi should be treated with extra caution around this time. If you’re traveling for the holidays and relying on airport and hotel hotspots, keep in mind that public Wi-Fi is inherently unsafe. Any person using the same network can spy on your internet traffic and potentially steal or jeopardize your private details. Keep your connection secure by using a VPN. Our Internet Shield VPN is a simple and secure option for keeping your Wi-Fi activity completely shielded from third-party snooping, and protects up to 10 devices.
7. Update all passwords.
Before you get started with any online shopping, take a few minutes to update all your passwords to stronger, harder-to-guess passwords. With increased cybercrime during this season, bad actors are working even harder to crack passwords and do serious damage. To create a strong password, combine letters and numbers instead of just letters, and opt for longer phrases instead of simple words. Never use passwords with words that could be easy to figure out with the right snooping, such as your birthday or mother’s maiden name.
8. Use a credit card for online shopping.
To add an extra layer of protection to your finances while shopping online, always use a credit card. In the case of theft or hacking, using a credit card ensures an easier solution to the issue as it will affect the bank and not your actual money. This also limits the amount of money the thief can steal.
With these simple online habits, you’ll be able to enjoy the holiday season without the stress of putting your privacy and security at risk.
The post Holiday Cybersecurity Tips Everyone Should Know appeared first on VIPRE.