Staying safe online during the festive season

Staying safe online matters more than ever during the end of year period. You see an increase in rushed purchases and travel planning an as well as end-of-year workloads. Attackers take advantage of that. A few simple steps will protect your accounts, your devices and your personal information.

Phishing increases in December

Attackers send fake shipping updates, charity requests, gift cards and “failed delivery” notices.

Watch out for:

· Odd sender addresses

· Pressure to act fast

· Links that don’t match the company’s real domain

· Requests for login details or payment info

If something feels off, stop and check it through a trusted channel.

Safer online shopping

When you buy gifts online, you reduce your risk by:

· Using retailers you already know

· Typing website addresses instead of clicking email links

· Paying with secure methods that offer fraud protection

· Using strong, unique passwords for shopping accounts

Avoid deals that look too good to be true. They usually are.

Travel and public Wi-Fi

If you travel, don’t log in to sensitive accounts on public Wi-Fi. Instead:

· Use your mobile hotspot

· Use Multi-factor authentication (MFA) on all key accounts

· Update your devices before you leave

· Turn off automatic Wi-Fi connections