It’s the season of the holidays. Of fun, celebration and festivity. With just one hitch: cyber threats.
The unfortunate fact is that cybercriminals are not on a holiday. They are continuously searching for ways in which they can damage enterprises. Some of the common ways in which users can get scammed by cybercriminals in these festive times are through malware disguised as something safe. So hence, an e-card you receive from a gift may seem like a sweet gesture, but be careful, there may be malicious code disguised inside it. Or criminals can try and lure unsuspecting individuals of free gifts and discount coupons, which they know people are searching for during the holiday season. These lured people will click on suspicious links or fill out forms providing personally identifiable information to cybercriminals who will sell it off to advertisers.
Vigilance is always one quality with which everyone should use the Internet but in the holiday season, it is advised to be even more careful when it comes to any kind of financial transaction.
Too Good to be True
Holidays are a time when almost everyone goes shopping. And in these times when anything and everything can be bought at the click of a button, the number of people who log on to e-commerce sites increase in numbers and there are a number of great deals on offers.
The problem is sometimes, these deals can be too good to be true. If you get an email from a big brand with an offer for something dirt cheap, back off a little. Sometimes, it just really is too good to be true. Don’t click on the body of the mail and log on to the brand’s website to see if it’s really true.
Malware Greetings
Just like shopping, holidays are a time to send greetings to each other. Some do it the old-fashioned way by calling each other and some like to send elaborate greeting cards.
The thing is though these elaborate greeting cards can often have lines of code which can be malicious. So if you receive a greeting card in your mail from someone you don’t recognize, be very careful. Never download a file from such mail and if possible, refrain from opening it. Delete it as soon as you can.
Mind the Card
This is a time when usage of cards peak as people go out to eat, shop and celebrate. Plastic is king and it’s not uncommon to see all transactions take place through a simple swipe. But take care and be doubly careful about how you use the card. Check the card machine properly if you use it at an unfamiliar place and keep an eye on your card at all times. Ensure that you only swipe your card at prominent locations. The same advice applies when you are using the card at ATMs as well.
Counterfeit Apps
A lot of e-shopping is done on the cell phone as well. There is literally an application for every major thing so it’s not really a surprise that many people turn to apps when they are in search of something important, especially during the holiday season.
The trouble is cybercriminals are in on this as well and create counterfeit imitations of an authentic app. They look exactly like the real one and sometimes it’s very difficult to spot a difference. But the difference is the data you submit while using the app will go straight to malicious criminals who won’t think twice before using it for nefarious purposes. Cross-check the apps you download very carefully and ensure you only download from an authentic app store.
Shipping Receipts
Lots of goods are dispatched through the season and among the authentic ones, there are often fake shipping receipts sent to trick you of your personal information. You might receive a shipping notification which is purportedly from FedEx but is actually fraudulent. Handing over personal information like your home address can be extremely dangerous. Check these shipping notifications very carefully and never provide information unless you can completely trust the source.
A great gift to consider this year would be to bolster your organization’s security by implementing a robust security solution. Seqrite’s Endpoint Security (EPS) offers one such solution – a simple and comprehensive platform boasting of advanced features such as Anti Ransomware, Advanced DNA Scan, Behavioural detection systems, Advanced Device Control and Web Filtering to protect any security vulnerabilities. By keeping devices secure, organizations can take one step ahead in keeping their networks safe this holiday season.
As an IT security partner for your business, Seqrite provides comprehensive security from advanced cyber threats. To know more
