Cyber Monday – 6 steps to staying safe
With the country in various stages of lockdown it is hardly surprising that many people are taking advantage of Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals online. Clicking for your gifts is an easy way to get what you want delivered to your door, but don’t let your judgement be clouded by the enticing deals.
For Cybercriminals, these ‘deals days’ offer a lucrative opportunity to profit with the use of bogus E-commerce websites and ‘too good to be true’ phishing emails which can direct you to their sites. The BBC reports that more than £190,000 a day is lost to cyber criminals, so it’s more important than ever to be on your guard.
Fortunately, there are ways to make your on-line purchases and remain vigilant to the threats by following these simple steps.
1. Ensure your browser is up-to date
By updating your browser to the most current version, the vulnerabilities of previous versions should have been identified and resolved.
2. HTTPS Check
Prior to entering any confidential information, especially credit card numbers – make sure that the URL in the address bar turns green or starts with HTTPS (not HTTP). The ‘S’ stands for secure and it’s an indication that the site is using encryption to protect your personal data.
This protocol is known as SSL (Secure sockets layer) encryption, and it keeps online transactions safe by encoding your information so it’s not visible to hackers.
3. Review the privacy policy of the website
By understanding the websites privacy policy, what information they are collecting and how they will use it gives you the opportunity to opt in or out. Is the information they are collecting relevant to the site? Some websites may offer the choice to opt out of information sharing. The website should also provide a point of contact for any questions you may have.
By disclosing your personal information, you could expose yourself to the risk of having your identity stolen.
4. Spot those too good to be true deals – they are probably a phishing attempt!
Chances are you have received emails advertising unbelievably great deals, and I bet these are phishing attempts! These are designed to entice you to click the links to a bogus website built to capture your personal information. Although spam emails can seem harmless, avoid clicking on links and downloading files from any unknown source.
Phishing emails and websites often contain typo’s or spelling and grammatical errors. If the email requests you to ‘Verify’ your confidential information, don’t!
5. Always create strong passwords
Create strong passwords and update them regularly. Avoid using the same password for multiple accounts, especially accounts that contain your personal information.
6. Use a VPN on public Wi-Fi
Public Wi-Fi connections are often unsecured, leaving you vulnerable to ‘man-in-the-middle’ attacks. These MITM attacks can happen when cybercriminals exploit a security flaw in the Wi-Fi network to gain access and intercept your information.
Hackers can intercept any information that passes between you and the website you visit including account logins and purchase transactions.
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) creates a secure tunnel, encrypting the data sent over the Wi-Fi connection, making your information secure and private.
If you think you have been a victim to Cybercrime, you can report it to the National Fraud & Cybercrime Reporting Centre known as ActionFraud. Their number is 0300 123 2040
