Don’t be a Festive Fool When it Comes To Cyber Crime

Published: 28 November 2024

Cyber Crime - person doing Christmas shopping on a laptop PC

With Black Friday and the festive shopping season now upon us, being vigilant about security is crucial.

With almost a third of retail spending set to be done online this Christmas*, cyber criminals will be keen to take advantage of lapse security protocols by targeting people with scam emails and text messages.

The use of AI also means that criminals can do so much more and their attack surface is wider.

Lifeline IT has put together some advice on how to keep yourself secure in the run up to Christmas, when you’re likely to be making more online purchases than usual.

  • Look out for spoof emails and texts. These will often say things like ‘your payment hasn’t gone through’ and ask you to re-submit your bank or card details. Another common one is a text saying the delivery driver needs your ID to make the delivery. These emails and texts often look real as they will pretend to be from companies such as DHL or Amazon. If in any doubt do not open them and under no circumstances provide financial or personal details. It’s always best to contact the company direct instead.
  • Use unique and complex passwords. I know we’re starting to sound like a stuck record, but having difficult to hack passwords is one of the most important things you can do in the fight against cyber crime. And make sure you have different passwords for all your devices and applications.
  • If you worry about how to remember all these different passwords, then start using password management software. These are relatively easy to install and will allow all your passwords to be stored in an online ‘vault’. We’re going to be doing more on password management systems in the new year.
  • Make multifactor authentication a key part of accessing your devices and software. It’s best to have as many layers of authentication as possible – something you know (such as a password or PIN), something you have (for example a text or email) and something you are (such as a fingerprint or face scan).
  • Remember, it’s not just your own data you risk if you fall victim to cyber criminals. If you’re using a work computer and email, you could be jeopardising company information, including clients’ personal and financial information.

If you need any help with security, get in touch with one of the Lifeline IT team. We also offer ‘Cyber Security Seminar Sessions’ that may be helpful for your business.

* Data source: Statista. Christmas period is the six-weeks from mid-November to the end of December.

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