LIFESTYLE NEWS - Both consumers and retailers must be especially wary of opportunistic scammers who will offer too-good-to-miss deals in order to steal sensitive information and profit off their victims’ losses.

While many of us are readying our credit cards, you will also want to take some extra time to consider who might be able to access the data you’re handing over. 

Cybercriminals will be especially active this year, ready to launch an attack wherever they see an opening. From phishing scams to malicious applications, they’re waiting for unsuspecting shoppers to be lured into their traps—which means the best way to mitigate risk is by remaining vigilant. The world of Cybercrime-as-a-Service (CaaS) is growing at a fast pace, which means shopping with care.

3 Most Common Cyber Monday Threats

1. Public WiFi: Shopping at home on a private network is one thing. However, you may want to think twice before making online purchases using a public WiFi connection from a coffee shop, mall, or grocery store. Cybercriminals more frequently hack these networks to intercept your data. They may even camp out in public areas, broadcasting a hotspot labelled “Free Public WiFi” that, when an unsuspecting visitor connects, can be used to capture all of the traffic moving between the device and an e-commerce site (or any website, really). Avoid public WiFi if possible unless you have a secure VPN connection, and wait until you are home to connect to a secure, trusted network.
2. Fake E-Commerce Sites: Plenty of fake shopping sites emerge during the holidays, designed to lure consumers into providing credit card or personal information by offering impossible-to-beat deals or access to hard-to-find items that, in reality, don’t exist. If you’re visiting an e-commerce site for the first time, do some research to verify its legitimacy before making a purchase. Look up reviews across the internet, make sure the company has a physical address and phone number listed, and stay away from sites that require direct payments from your bank, wire transfers, or ask for gift cards as a form of payment.
3. Credit Card Skimming Software: Credit card skimmers aren’t limited to physical retail stores—they can be found online, as well. Point-of-sale (POS) RAM scraping malware has become increasingly popular among cybercriminals in recent years. First, attackers must gain access to a point-of-sale system, such as a shopping cart application. They then infect the host with malware designed to scrape credit card data from the source. The transaction still goes through, but all of the credit card information is also collected. As a consumer, it’s not always easy to avoid credit card skimmers but the majority of large, reputable retailers now have measures in place (like a web application firewall) to prevent them.

Emerging Threats

• Web-Based Malware: Consumers should be mindful of suspicious websites or advertisements that direct them away from whichever trusted site they’re browsing or that lure them with enticing deals. In some cases, all it takes is a momentary visit to a malicious webpage to infect your device.
• IoT and Router Attacks: While not directly related to Cyber Monday, exploit attempts against consumer-grade routers and IoT devices continue. Many people are still working remotely this holiday season, and those who may be looking to upgrade their home offices or other at-home technology should take network security into consideration before making purchases. While hacking the data on your smart thermostat, for example, isn’t really the problem (threat actors aren’t really interested in how warm you keep the house in the winter), they could employ reconnaissance hacks to discover your passwords for your corporate WiFi network or your login credentials for automatic online purchases.
• Hijacked Online Services: We continue to see cybercriminals exploit streaming entertainment accounts. Oftentimes, account information is stolen and then listed for sale on Dark Web black market sites. If you’re gifting a streaming subscription to a family member or signing up to take advantage of a Cyber Monday promotion yourself, remember to monitor remote usage, such as notices about unfamiliar logins to your subscription service, and contact the provider if you notice any suspicious activity.

Anna Collard, SVP Content Strategy & Evangelist at KnowBe4 Africa has a few security recommendations to better protect and prepare consumers on what to expect.

• Verify links before clicking, and keep an eye out for unfamiliar or misspelt domains.
• Always use reputable retail websites when purchasing online.
• If you are visiting a site with auctions or resellers, take the time to review their profiles and ensure they have a history of selling.
• If you are purchasing from a site for the first time, research the organization and look for reviews on social media or online.
• Make sure to use a credit card for online purchases and monitor the card regularly for fraudulent activity.
• Verify confirmation emails and get tracking numbers for purchases.
• Look out for scammers on social media.

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