Stay Safe, Stay Secure, Stay Vigilant: Top Online Security Tips for Holiday Deals on Computer Security Day 2024

Did you know between this year’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday, spending is projected to grow by 5% and reach a historic high of $75 billion?  

Cybercriminals will use Black Friday and Cyber Monday holiday shopping frenzy as a cover to set their online traps. In fact, according to VikingCloud’s recent 2024 Holiday Cyber Threat Survey, a whopping 52% of retailers report being at greater risk during the 2024 holiday shopping season – more than at any other time of the year.  And if retailers are at risk, so too are consumers.  

With Computer Security Day falling right before Cyber Monday, it’s the perfect time to refresh our defenses and think about how we can shop smart and safe. Here are our top 5 tips to make sure your holiday purchases are worry-free.

1. Be Aware of Phishing Attempts

While shopping online, it’s important to be aware of phishing attempts. During the busy holiday period, these can often be fake emails or messages that mimic popular retailers. You can often spot phishing attempts by looking out for signs such as bad grammar and spelling mistakes, URLs that don’t match the company/brand, and offers that seem too good to be true.

Depending on your provider, your antivirus or endpoint protection may have Internet security functions that can protect you from malicious sites. Please check with your provider if these features are available to you.

Our #1 tip to help you avoid phishing attempts: Stay “Click Free!” Avoid clicking on any link in an email during this holiday season. If you see an offer you don’t want to miss, head straight to the retailer's official website and check if the offer is available there. Or stay offline and give them a call directly.  

Remember, also be aware of unsolicited delivery and package tracking notifications via email or text. This is a popular type of social engineering scam at this time of year. Only follow official lines of communication from the retailer such as order confirmation emails you receive after making a purchase.  

2. Use Safe Payment Practices

The last thing we want during this busy and, let’s face it, expensive time, is for our credit card details to be stolen. That’s why it’s important to use safe payment practices.  

Here are a few tips from VikingCloud:

• Use credit cards or virtual cards over debit cards.  Credit cards typically come with a spending limit, and virtual cards can be set to expire after one transaction (and will a limit too).  For example, Revolut offers a “disposable” card for online payments that regenerates its details after one use.

• Use a trusted payment solution that you have used in the past, like PayPal, Apple Pay, or Google Pay, so you don't share or save payment details with unknown retailers. This will greatly reduce the risk of your card details being stolen as you will not be inputting payment card details since they are already there.  

3. Always Shop Using Secure Wi-Fi Connections

We shop on the go; that’s not going to change. However, we need to be sensible about doing this. Shopping on public Wi-Fi networks can be a quick way to get your data stolen, as public Wi-Fi connections often require no authentication to establish a connection to your device.  

What does this mean?

Instead of your device connecting to the hotspot where the connection is coming from, you could be connected directly to a cybercriminal.

Here’s what you can do:

• Use a secure Virtual Private Network (VPN). VPNs will encrypt the data you send over the public Wi-Fi connection and mask your IP address. As your data is now encrypted, cybercriminals will often discard it as they prefer an easier target.  

• Wait until you are using your secure home network, which is usually equipped with the latest encryption standards, unlike public Wi-Fi networks. The amazing offer you see will more than likely still be available when you can make a payment over a secure network.  

4. Keep Your Device Software Up-to-Date

Cybercriminals use out-of-date software as a quick and easy way to hack your devices. If you use a laptop or computer to shop, check regularly for updates and turn automatic updates on whenever possible.  Don’t postpone new software updates – so you don’t leave yourself vulnerable to known security gaps.

If you’re using a mobile phone or tablet to shop, when prompted, perform the required updates as soon as possible.

Looking out for updates isn’t limited to the devices you shop on, but also covers apps and browsers you use. Always ensure you are using the latest version of the app or browser before you proceed with shopping.

5. Practice Strong Account Security

Doing all of the above actions will be rendered useless if you don’t look after the accounts you use to shop.  

Secure each account with strong and unique passwords – and change them on a regular bases. Research secure password managers if you have issues remembering passwords.  

Enabling multi-factor authentication (MFA) on shopping and banking accounts when available is another great step you can take to secure your accounts. This will require another form of authentication, separate from a password, to access your account. You can find out more about MFA here.  

Stay Secure This Shopping Season

This holiday season will surely see a huge number of retailers and shoppers fall victim to cybercrime. Even if you think you haven’t been affected, be sure to check your statements closely and regularly for unauthorized and unexpected transactions. Cybercriminals who steal your data will often try to go undetected by draining money from your account slowly vs. big transactions that will alert you more quickly.    

And that’s why you need to stay safe, stay secure, and stay vigilant during the holidays – and every day.

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