Black Friday / Cyber Monday Safety Tips
Black Friday and Cyber Monday have both continued to grow over the years and have really cemented themselves as staples of the holiday season. Not only that, but their influence is felt far beyond their respective days.
Case in point: try counting the number of Black Friday commercials on any given evening throughout the month of November. The promotions are starting earlier, the discount codes are being given away like candy… We’re even starting to see officially named “PRE-Black Friday Deals”, allegedly unrelated to the discounts to come.
Companies have also refined how they operate their sales, especially given the events of last year. Black Friday has taken cues from its illustrious younger sibling and offered better and more robust options for online shopping, as opposed to the in-person doorbuster deals of years past.
With all of these cyber deals taking the forefront from in-person shopping, it’s important to review best practices for shopping online. Cybercriminals continually take advantage of this time of year, using the increased activity to their benefit. Should you choose to do your deal hunting online, take a moment before the rush to brush up on some easy ways to keep yourself safer before you push “purchase”.
In today’s blog post, we have put together a few tips to help you protect yourself as you shop from the comfort of your couch. Here are a few Black Friday / Cyber Monday Safety Tips:
1) DON’T USE DEBIT CARDS
Using a debit card allows cyber criminals direct access to your bank accounts. Using payment options with added layers of protection is key to reduce your risk while you shop. Try using a credit card or a third party like PayPal or Venmo.
2) DON’T CLICK ON LINKS OR OPEN ATTACHMENTS IN EMAILS
Many cyber criminals are using the flood of Black Friday emails from retailers to send their own copycat versions with malicious links. Beware of links and attachments in the emails you receive. Hovering over links can help show you where exactly each link is sending you to.
3) DON’T SHOP ON PUBLIC WIFI
Make sure you are only shopping on a secure connection. Shopping online requires you divulge sensitive information, like credit card numbers, addresses, and more. You don’t want this information visible to outside eyes. When you are shopping online, make sure you are on a private network, or are using your cellular data plan to stay secure.
4) USE A VARIETY OF PASSWORDS
Many online retailers require you to create an account to purchase items, which includes creating a password. It may be easier to use the same password everywhere, but should that retailer be breached in the future, many of your other accounts are now susceptible. Use a variety of passwords to mitigate your overall risk.
5) ENSURE YOUR SOFTWARE IS UP TO DATE
Before shopping til you drop, make sure your device’s software is up to date. From your operating system to your web browser to your password manager and beyond, take some time to ensure you have the latest versions for security’s sake. Outdated systems are often littered with vulnerabilities, so you’ll want to fully update to block cyber criminals from gaining access.
6) ENABLE 2-STEP VERIFICATION
We’ve recently covered how to achieve better security for your organization through 2-step or multi-factor authentication, but many online retailers give individuals the option to ensure all logins (and even final order submissions) are secured through confirmation via a secondary device. Sending an authorization code to your phone or email may be a momentary inconvenience but compared to dealing with stolen credentials is a very worthwhile use of time.
With so much excitement surrounding Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the holiday season in general, it can become easy to overlook the basic tenants of cyber safety. Follow these tips, and use common sense to stay safe as you shop. Have a happy Thanksgiving, and stay safe this weekend!
