The holiday season is the most wonderful time of the year for experienced and novice cybercriminals alike looking to make a quick payday.
Although threat actors are relying on classic scams to trick unsuspecting consumers this season, you can take plenty of easy steps to protect yourself and reduce the chance of falling victim.
While there isn't a single dominant scam we're seeing threat actors rely on this year, there are plenty of tactics emerging that consumers need to be aware of, ranging from shipping scams to travel-related cons.
To keep yourself and your data safe this season, we recently hosted a FortiGuard Live session to share the latest cybercriminal activities we're seeing, along with how to spot and avoid them.
Attackers are constantly finding new ways to compromise user credentials, and it's now easier than ever for them to purchase valid credentials on the dark web.
To complicate matters, people often use the same password across multiple accounts or implement the same password style, and cybercriminals quickly take note.
To keep yourself safe this season, create unique passwords that are harder for threat actors to steal.
Keep your personally identifiable information-along with details like your favorite vacation spot, sports team, and movie name-out of your passwords.
Use a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, as well as numbers and symbols, and aim for passwords that are 10 characters or longer.
Using the same password for multiple accounts allows attackers to gather more sensitive information about you if they successfully steal your credentials.
Leverage a password manager to generate long, complex passwords for all your accounts.
One of the easiest ways to protect yourself from cybercrime this holiday season is to patch your applications and devices.
These factors make it easier than usual to prey on unsuspecting consumers, and cybercriminals design scams that cater to these common emotions associated with a hectic holiday season.
Beware of advertisements for fake or counterfeit goods, social media scams offering heavily discounted or free items, and phony websites.
Of course, most people know they shouldn't click on links unless they know they're safe.
Shipping-related scams are popular among cybercriminals this time of year, and these are often delivered via SMS. Be wary of text messages regarding a shipping delay, impending delivery, or any messages asking you to click on a link to confirm personal details like your name or address.
While the holidays are a notoriously busy time of year, the best thing to do to protect yourself against cybercrime is to slow down and stay vigilant.
Implement simple cybersecurity best practices-like using unique, hard-to-guess passwords for each of your online accounts-and question the validity of suspicious-looking emails, text messages, advertisements, and websites.
Finally, share these tips with loved ones so they can also be on the lookout for potential seasonal scams.
Becoming cyber-aware and protecting yourself against hacks will make the season far more merry and bright.
This Cyber News was published on feeds.fortinet.com. Publication date: Tue, 12 Dec 2023 18:43:18 +0000