CYBER MONDAY SAFETY TIPS In the frenzy of limited time offers, last minute sales, and one-click shopping, it can be difficult to stay secure while you shop online, particularly on days like Cyber Monday. Last year, consumers spent about 1.5 billion dollars on Cyber Monday, up 16% from 2011. Industry experts predict this season will see even more growth. Coupled with the boom in sales is a predicted increase in the amount and severity of online scamming and data theft. 1. Dont Click on Pop-up Ads Though it may seem obvious, malicious pop-up ads still pose one of the largest threats to web shoppers. Studies have shown that a large amount of consumers will click on the account regardless of its message. Be mindful of what pop-ups say, it could be evidence of a security threat. 2. Keep Software Up-To-Date Though many systems automatically update your software as new features become available, its important to keep your programs as current as possible. To avoid security holes, update apps and software at least once a week, as newer versions appear. 3. Use Strong Passwords An essential part of online security in any sense is using strong passwords. This means no birthdays, dog names or variations of 1234 for any of your accounts. Don’t reuse passwords. Avoid dictionary terms. Substituted numbers and symbols are not safe. The longer, the better. Use a random password generator such as PCTOOLS’ Secure Password Generator. 4. Install Antivirus and Anti-Spyware software When shopping, you dont want others to be able to track what sites youre visiting and what information youre entering online. 5 Best Free Antivirus Software Options – AVG Antivirus, Comodo, Ad-Aware Free, Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.70, and/or Avast Free Antivirus. 5. Enable Timeouts on Mobile More and more consumers are doing the bulk of their holiday shopping on mobile phones. If youre one of those consumers, make sure to enable a lock screen password, in case your device is lost or stolen. If your phone doesnt time out, youre leaving the keys to your kingdom to whoever picks it up. 6. Use a Secure Connection It is recommended that any and all online financial transactions take place through a secure, private Wi-Fi connection, as opposed to using the more vulnerable free Wi-Fi in a coffee shop or library. 7. Avoid Email Advertisements Your inbox is likely swarming with holiday promotions from all of your favorite (and likely least favorite) brands. To avoid being hacked, the CIS recommends you always enter the shops URL in your browser, rather than following the links contained in an email. 8. Shop at Companies You Know Before you buy from a merchant on Amazon, Etsy or Ebay, check their rating and number of sales. Make sure they have good return policies and clearly posted contact information. If worried, you can always check on a business’s legitimacy through the Better Business Bureau. 9. Use Credit, Not Debit Most credit cards have more security protection than your debit card, should your info be taken. 10. Ensure Your Site Is Secure If you are entering your financial information on a webpage, make sure the URL begins with https as opposed to http or has a lock in your browsers search bar. 11. Be Wary of Charity Sites Though the holidays are frequently the most popular time to make donations to charity, you should always check the legitimacy of your charitys website. Fraudulent sites pop up during disasters and holidays like clockwork. Be alert. 12. Check Your Location and Privacy Settings Many apps and websites will automatically share your GPS location by default. If your entire family is out of the house, broadcasting your location might not be the best idea. Sometimes, apps will change your settings once downloaded. Check what services your downloads have access to in your phones privacy settings. 13. Check Your Statements Frequently Some hackers will do very low level theft once obtaining your information, charging small amounts to your credit card to avoid detection. Stay on top of your account statements and keep a record of how much you spend and where. 14. Add Browser Extensions and Security Apps Pop-up blockers and malware detection extensions will add an extra layer to your security this season. Some to think about: Hotspot Shield – Secures your IP address if you are using public or shared Wi-Fi. HTTPS Everywhere - Browser extension with either Chrome or Firefox to secure your data and online communication. HTTPS protects against eavesdropping attacks during downloads and account creation. LastPass - Even the most secure passwords still have to be remembered from time to time. Thats where LastPass comes in. It works by saving all of your passwords into an encrypted database and autofilling your login info when you first enter a site. You can even use LastPass to generate secure passwords, eliminating the pesky temptation of using the exact same code for every website. LongURL - If youre using Twitter, youve seen shortened links. While useful for clearing web clutter, short links also come with the possibility of leading you to a risky, dangerous site. Use the web tool LongURL to revert your shortened links back to their original forms. NoScript - This helpful Firefox add-on prevents plugins like JavaScript and Flash from running on sites you havent whitelisted, saving you from potential attacks Trusteer Rapport - An award-winning anti-malware and encryption tool that will block any third parties from stealing your information and keep you from entering your data in a fraudulent site masquerading as your bank. Two-Step Verification - Multi-factor password verification is a necessary tool for web users with many accounts. The voluntary free service is offered by sites such as Google, Facebook and Twitter, and works by requiring you to authorize a new device from accessing your accounts by entering a code sent to your phone VirusTotal - Run any mysterious files or URLs through this web tool (a Google subsidiary), which will then check them for viruses, worms, trojans and other types of malware. Shop safe and Happy Holidays!
Posted on: Mon, 02 Dec 2013 15:36:52 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015