By the year 2018, one-fifth of the global population will shop online, with 60% of those people using a smartphone to load up their cart, according to research from Kaspersky Labs.
On Black Friday, those numbers increase exponentially, especially as more and more people grow tired of waiting in lines only to get shoved out of the way of their prize at the last minute.
However, if you are one of the brave souls who sets out to shop until the wee hours of the morning, keep these cyber tips in mind to protect your purchases—and your personal information.
Be aware
Financial phishing attacks during the busy holiday shopping season increase by 9% on average, according to Kaspersky. This includes banking, online payment systems, and online shopping fraud. But it’s not just card skimmers you have to worry about. Fake e-commerce sites are often set up with such detail that you can’t tell them apart from the real site at first glance.
Always check the URL before submitting personal or financial information. You can tell this site is fake from the “notecpost.com/br/bin” that comes before the standard https:// protocol.
If an online retailer is asking for your social security number or birthday, for example, it's probably not a legitimate site.
Know the risks
Understanding not only what’s out there but the effects it would have on you personally can help keep you safe this holiday shopping season.
According to Kaspersky Labs research, there are 36 known malware families that can steal your data from POS terminals. That’s even more known threats than banking malware, with 30 forms currently categorized in Kaspersky’s collection.
If your data is stolen, it will most often end up on the black market, ready to be bought up by thieves looking to get their hands on legitimate banking information. Having a chip in your card can help, but it only goes so far. This technology doesn’t do you much good if you’re shopping online, for example.
If you're a retailer looking to keep your customers safe this year, keep in mind where attackers often hit. Continuously monitor your social media accounts for suspicious activity, and look for copycat accounts that provide fake links to lure in unsuspecting users.
Be prepared
Expect new attacks to keep cropping up. It’s becoming easier and cheaper for hackers to steal information, and at a much larger volume.
This new bluetooth card-skimming technology doesn’t even have to be attacked to a POS terminal; it can wirelessly steal your data from a nearby mobile device. Obviously, paying with cash that you got from your bank teller would bypass this problem, but having a security mindset in general helps.
Good security hygiene includes keeping your online banking passwords secure and difficult to guess (and not re-using them on other sites), not giving personal information to sites where it’s not necessary, and looking out for suspicious behavior.
If you see someone hovering too close to an ATM or fidgeting with a POS system when they shouldn’t be, tell someone.
Beware of phishing attacks through emails too. Sometimes a deal is literally too good to be true. On the business end, be sure to instruct your employees and team members to not open suspicious attachments or click on untrusted links. Spear phishing is a common means for malware to spread and wipe out your business—just before sales start to skyrocket.
Opt out
If you want your wallet to stay secure, there’s always the age-old tradition of not using it.
As the American consumer culture continues full speed ahead, more and more people are fighting back against Black Friday and choosing to stay indoors and away from over-crowded shopping centers.
A few years ago, retail giant REI started a new campaign entitled #OptOutside, encouraging people to spend time in nature instead of confined within the urban jungles.
Some fresh air could be nice for a change this Black Friday.
