Holiday Cyber Security Tips 2020
By Kimberly Connella | December 13, 2019 | 0 Comments
Holiday Cyber Security Tips 2020
Holiday cyber security tips to help you stay on your guard this holiday season.
The holiday season is one of the easiest times of year to fall victim to a cyber attack. A cyber attack can result in financial losses, identity theft, and damage to reputation. Unfortunately, from November to January, there is a significant spike in scams and phishing emails.
With all the holiday shopping, packages deliveries, and new technology purchases, it is easy to let your guard down. However, it is important to remain vigilant and continue to follow cyber security best practices.
Here are some holiday cyber security tips to help you this season:
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Treat links, attachments, and other clickable pathways in your inbox with extra caution. During the holiday season, hackers disguise malware-ridden documents like receipts, gifts, delivery status updates, and order confirmations.
- Do not click on a link if it looks suspicious: open your browser and go directly to the site.
- Do not enter your login credentials or financial information on a form or link you received in an email.
- For more on the warning signs of a phishing attack, read here
- If you have clicked on a phishing link read here.
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If you are receiving or giving technological presents this holiday, then follow these cyber security tips:
- Ensure the device is updated and running the latest software. Devices running outdated software could have vulnerabilities that have already been exploited. Fortunately, if your device is running the most up-to-date software, then it should be patched against any recently discovered vulnerabilities.
- If you are receiving or giving a refurbished or second-hand device, make sure you perform a factory reset before you start using them to ensure it does not have any malicious code leftover from previous owners.
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Take cyber security measures to secure any internet of things (IoT) devices. IoT devices have a poor track record when it comes to cyber security, do not make it easier for hackers by not securing your devices.
- Enable multifactor authentication on your device to add another level of protection against config attacks.
- Change the default password on the device.
- Keep the software up to date.
Above all, do not let the hustle and bustle of the holiday season distract you from the seriousness of internet threats.
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