The holiday season is a time for joy, family, and shopping. Unfortunately, it’s also a time when cybercriminals are most active, capitalizing on the increase in online transactions and the general distraction of festivities.
According to CyberGhost VPN the bustling period between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday witnesses an 82% global surge in fraud attempts.
So, understanding the nature of these threats and adopting robust protective measures is crucial in keeping your holiday season merry and cyber-safe.
Common Tactics Used by Holiday Cybercriminals
During the holiday season, cybercriminals capitalize on the festive mood, exploiting the rush for deals and the general drop in vigilance.
Understanding their common tactics can help you stay one step ahead. Here’s an overview of the strategies they often employ:
Malicious E-Greeting Cards
These are cleverly designed to mimic legitimate festive greeting cards. Cybercriminals send these e-cards en masse, hoping recipients will click on them.
Once clicked, these cards can initiate unauthorized downloads of malware, giving criminals access to your personal data, monitoring your online activity, or even taking control of your device.
Fake Letters from Santa
Posing as charitable organizations or festive service providers, scammers create websites offering personalized letters from Santa for a small fee.
Unsuspecting parents input significant amounts of personal information, including credit card details and addresses, which can then be stolen or sold. Often, the promised letters never arrive, and the data you provided is used for more nefarious purposes.
Fraudulent Christmas Hampers
Scammers promote irresistible offers of free or heavily discounted Christmas hampers filled with goodies. To claim these offers, you are usually asked to provide personal details or even payment information to cover supposed delivery fees.
These are classic phishing schemes designed to steal your information or money, and the promised hampers never materialize.
Secret Sister Gift Exchange
This scheme is a digital adaptation of a traditional pyramid scam, masquerading as a holiday gift exchange on social media. Participants are told they’ll receive multiple gifts in return for sending one.
However, the structure ensures that only those at the top benefit, while later participants are left with nothing. The scam collects personal information under the guise of organizing the gift exchange, exposing participants to future scams.
Elf Name Generators
These fun, festive tools ask for your details to generate a quirky elf name, often requiring more personal information than necessary.
The data collected can be used for phishing, or the site might install malware on your device. Moreover, these generators often lack robust privacy policies, leading to unregulated data sharing or selling.
Understanding the Scam Lifecycle
Behind these scams is a cycle of meticulous planning, creation, distribution, and exploitation. Scammers carefully tailor their attacks to be as tempting and believable as possible.
They study consumer behavior, particularly around holidays when people are more likely to seek deals and be less cautious. They then craft communications that look authentic, often mimicking the style and branding of known retailers or service providers.
The distribution is widespread and rapid, utilizing emails, social media, and messaging platforms to reach potential victims.
Finally, once the deceptive bait is taken, they focus on harvesting as much data as possible, from personal identifiers to financial details.
Tips to Prevent Holiday Cyber Attacks
Preventing holiday cyber attacks requires a combination of vigilance, knowledge, and the use of technology. Here’s how you can expand on the strategies to safeguard against digital threats:
1. Use Legitimate HTTPS Sites
Always ensure that the website you’re visiting for shopping has a URL that starts with “https://” and displays a padlock symbol in the address bar. This indicates that the website is using a secure, encrypted connection.
To double-check the site’s authenticity, you can click on the padlock to view the security certificate. Make sure the certificate is up to date and issued to the correct organization.
2. Verify Before Clicking
Phishing attacks are common during the holidays. Scrutinize every email or message you receive. Check the sender’s email address carefully for any subtle misspellings or unusual characters.
Hover over any links without clicking to see the actual URL, and if it looks suspicious or doesn’t match the purported destination, don’t click it. If you’re unsure about the legitimacy of a message, contact the company directly through official channels.
3. Create a Separate Email for Holiday Shopping
Use a specific email address for all your online shopping. This way, if it gets compromised, your primary personal or work emails remain secure.
Make sure this email has a strong, unique password and, ideally, enable two-factor authentication for an added layer of security.
4. Opt for Secure Payment Methods
Credit cards and payment services like PayPal or Apple Pay offer additional layers of fraud protection. They don’t directly expose your bank details to the merchant and often provide no-liability policies for unauthorized transactions.
Always log out of any payment service once you’ve completed a transaction, and never save your payment details on a website or app unless it’s one you trust implicitly.
5. Read Reviews and Shop Wisely
Do your homework before making a purchase. Look for reviews and ratings not just on the product but also on the seller or website.
Be cautious of new or unknown websites offering deals that are too good to be true. Stick to reputable, well-known online retailers or official product websites.
6. Regularly Monitor Your Accounts
Frequently check your bank statements and credit card transactions for any unauthorized or suspicious activity. Many banks offer custom alerts for unusual activity or spending limits.
Set these up to stay informed. If you notice anything odd, contact your bank immediately to dispute the charges and secure your accounts.
7. Educate Yourself and Others
Stay updated on the latest cybersecurity threats. Follow reputable sources for updates on new scams or threats, especially during the holiday season. Share this information with friends and family and encourage safe online practices.
8. Report Any Suspicious Activity
If you fall victim to a cyber scam, report it immediately. Contact your bank or credit card company, file a report with the local police, and notify any relevant authorities or organizations that deal with fraud, such as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in the United States. Reporting incidents helps authorities take action and can prevent others from becoming victims.
9. Enable Network Security:
Ensure your home Wi-Fi network is secure. Use strong, complex passwords, enable network encryption (WPA2 or WPA3), and keep your router’s firmware up to date.
Consider using a VPN, especially when shopping on public Wi-Fi, to encrypt your data and mask your IP address.
10. Backup Your Data
Regularly back up important data to an external drive or cloud storage. This practice can be a lifesaver if you fall victim to ransomware or other destructive attacks. Ensure your backup is secure and not continuously connected to your main devices.
11. Install and Update Security Software
Use reputable antivirus and anti-malware software. Keep all your software, especially your operating system, browser, and any security tools, up to date to protect against the latest threats.
Wrap-up
The holiday season should be a time of happiness and relaxation, not stress and loss. By incorporating these detailed practices into your online activities, especially during the high-risk holiday season, you can significantly enhance your defense against cyber threats and enjoy a safer, more secure digital experience.