The holiday shopping season is already upon us. With so many people already accustomed to shop online, however, there will be lots of hackers luring and waiting to attack different stores and customers’ accounts. Online stores are targeted as much as banks and their safety cannot be fully guaranteed.
So, how to stay safe online this holiday shopping season?
A simple and an affordable solution is to use antivirus software like Kaspersky.
However, retailers, specialized in e-commerce have much more sophisticated protection, tools for detecting malware, and ways to prevent a cyber attack. One of the first things customers should do is to stop using their debit card for online purchases and to switch to a credit card, which is more secure. Of course, always make sure that the site address starts with “https//”. When entering credit card details always make sure that an unbroken key symbol or a locked pad shows in the browser showing a secure network.
Shop from trusted sites – despite no company or website is immune, this is the best guarantee for safety. For instance, the largest online retailer, Amazon.com has incorporated some of the best cyber security practices. Amazon, along with specialized retailers, operated by it such as 6pm.com, myhabit.com, and others, are legitimate and secure.
Another important thing for every online shopper – routinely change your passwords and make them as strong as possible. “User123” isn’t exactly the password of a genius. Also, you should sign up to receive real-time alerts about suspicious activity on your bank accounts. Keep all your receipts (print them from the website) and check your accounts regularly. And always be careful with Wi-Fi hotspots – adjust the security settings on your device to limit who can access it. Experts also advise to keep our operating systems, browsers and software updated and to turn the computer/laptop off when we’re not using it.
These are the basic rules for cyber protection you should follow – there is nothing hard and too complex, and with the coming of the holiday shopping season, everyone should consider improving their safety on the Internet.
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