At Christmas we are more willing to take out our wallets and buy things, and that is the reason why cybercriminals increase their activity through malicious links, trying to deceive the user with non-existent offers and links that end up stealing control of bank accounts.
You always have to be vigilant, but on these dates you have to redouble it. Here are some helpful tips:
– Make sure your devices are updated with the latest software and security version available, that will make them more prepared for any attack.
– Use strong and unique passwords for each of your online accounts, do not put the same password as your email on the secret friend page. One trick could be to start the secret friends password with some letters of the word friend, like ami%1965 (ami for friend, a symbol and 1965 as the date of birth, for example).
Don’t click suspicious links in emails or text messages, even if they appear to come from a trusted contact.
Ignore all the links that arrive via SMS, WhatsApp or email, except for those for which you are completely sure of their legitimacy.
– Avoid making online purchases unknown or unreliable websites. The same applies with secret friend pages. Avoid the ones that have a lot of advertising, ask for access to notifications, open sweepstakes pages and so on.
– Use security software on your device and keep it up to date to protect against viruses and other online threats. If you use Windows, the Defender that comes with it is more than enough.
Some of the most common threats these days include fraudulent emails that appear to come from e-commerce companies or banks, malicious links in text messages and social media, and fake websites that mimic legitimate online stores.