Protecting Yourself from Cyber Attacks When Shopping Online

Business Empresarial.- The internet is a fundamental part of various areas of our day to day. This tool brings great benefits, but it also presents us with various threats that put our security and economy at risk, since hackers and cybercriminals are on the prowl to steal our information.

Jimmy Armas, director of the master’s degree in Cybersecurity and Information Management at the Graduate School UPCnotes that “organizations have experienced an increase in scams and cyber fraud, reaching a record $5.8 billion in losses in 2021, representing a year-over-year increase of 70%, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)”.

At the same point, the annual report of the “Global State of Cybersecurity Survey” from ISACA 2021, indicates that social engineering is the predominant cyber attack method (14%), followed by APTs or better known as continuous and advanced hacking techniques to access a system (10%), ransomware (9%), systems without patches (9%), denial of service (8%), poor security configuration (8%), among others.

Faced with these threats, it is important to be aware of the different types of cyber attacks, especially in the field of online shopping. As companies have developed new services and products in the aftermath of the pandemic, they have become targets for cybercriminals.

Therefore, here are some recommendations to protect ourselves from fraudulent purchases:

Avoid responding to unsolicited emails and messages asking for financial information from unknown shopping websites.

• Protect your cell phone by setting automatic software updates.
• Use a multi-factor authentication system to protect your accounts.
• Research websites to verify the legitimacy of the online store or organization before making a purchase.

However, it is important to take into account which are the most popular types of scams:

• Phishing, vishing, or smishing: Scammers impersonate trusted companies via email, instant message, or phone calls to obtain personal or financial information.
• Spyware: Malicious software that infects devices to collect sensitive information about the user. Do not install anything on your PC or cell phone an unauthorized program.
• Pharming: similar to phishing, in this modality the traffic of a website is manipulated to steal confidential information.

When making purchases online, it is essential to consider the following factors:

• Identify which pages are used to buy on the Internet and pay attention to their reputation.
• Opt for products and services with good ratings and comments from other users.
• Protect your means of payment using different passwords and ensuring the security of your data.
• Track your orders through online shopping and keep records of transactions.
• Use a secure Wi-Fi connection when shopping online and avoid public networks.