Holiday sled with Online Safety
Here we go, it’s Christmas shopping time between us! Like all consumers, you can try to plan your gift choices for friends and family by combing the items you want from your list. However, this year will probably be different from the previous holidays.
While more than 124 million shoppers shopped during the 2019 holiday weekend, McAfee’s 2020 study The State of the Modern Digital E-buyer found that consumers are planning to make more online purchases – even before the holiday season. But how will this increase in Internet activity affect users’ digital lives?
Let’s see what this online shopping trend means for consumer safety this Christmas season.
Ready to shop? Like the party pirates
The emergence of a global health emergency has forced users around the world to live, work, play and shop with their devices – perhaps more than ever before. The McAfee study shows that overall customer activity has increased. 49% of respondents say they have bought more online since VIDOC-19. It is therefore not surprising that the researchers expect these online shopping habits to bleed during the Christmas shopping season. In fact, 36 percent of Americans say they will use digital links for gifts and greetings this year. However, this increase in online activity does not necessarily mean greater security on the Internet.
Hackers like to take advantage of online trends, so it’s not surprising that they see more opportunities to spread threats in the increasing activity on the Internet. In fact, McAfee Labs saw an increase in online threats per minute of nearly 12% in the second quarter of 2020 compared to the previous quarter.
The increased activity on the internet is an excellent opportunity for hackers to interrupt consumer enjoyment and spread malicious crime. And 36% of consumers said their online shopping behavior will increase this holiday season, even though they are aware of the cyber threats. This neglect is worrying, especially since hackers are becoming more and more invisible in the way they deceive consumers. Take, for example, the discounts for Black Friday and Cyber Sunday. Forty-three percent of the respondents admitted not having verified these so-called transactions when they looked up their e-mails and text messages. Without adequate safety measures, users may expose themselves to an imminent cyberblizzard.
Electronic purchasing guide 2020.
Fearless Holiday Fun
While the survey results confirm that online shoppers use their tricks to interrupt the fun, this does not mean that consumers are still unable to make sacred and fun purchases. By taking the necessary steps to protect themselves – and their families – during this festive season, consumers can continue their digital lives with confidence. Follow these security tips to prevent hackers from setting up hatches during your parties:
Multifactor authentication
Two- or multi-factor authentication provides an additional level of security because different forms of authentication are required. It reduces the risk of a successful hacker parody.
Go directly to source
Instead of clicking on a link in an email or text message, it is always better to check the Black Friday or Cybermonday offer directly at the source or follow the delivery of the package.
Advanced search
Use a comprehensive security solution like McAfee Total Protection to protect your devices from malware, phishing attacks and other threats. It includes McAfee WebAdvisor, which can help identify malicious websites.
Protect your identity
Hackers often use consumers’ personal information to make fraudulent purchases, a trick that will definitely disrupt shopping during the holidays. A solution such as McAfee Identity Theft Protection offers a proactive approach to protecting your personal information through personal and financial data monitoring and recovery programs that help protect your personal information.
Remains connected
To stay up to date with McAfee news and the latest security threats to consumers and mobile devices, follow @McAfee_Home on Twitter, listen to our pirate podcast and enjoy it on Facebook.
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