The IT Nerd

With Black Friday approaching next week, I have collected some thoughts from cybercrime expert Rafe Pilling, Director of Threat Intelligence for the Secureworks Counter Threat Unit, about scams that youmay see this upcoming holiday season and how to stay secure. First some commentary from Rafe:

“The sense of urgency around limited time deals coupled with the excitement of the holidays makes Black Friday a prime opportunity for cyber criminals. Every year we see an uptick in attacks based on significant consumer events including Black Friday. There is a sense of urgency created by a ‘limited deal’ shopping window which can mean our usual checks and guards get set aside in favour of trying to secure the best deal.” 

“From imitating the marketing we get, to SEO poisoning, to fraudulent delivery updates, there are a number of touch points cyber criminals can exploit. And with the growing use of AI, scam emails can be more convincing than ever, mimicking brands we trust to sidestep our normal defenses. As you look to cash in on the deals this Black Friday, don’t forget to prioritize your protection.”

Top 7 Tips for Staying Secure:

1. Verify Email Sender: Check the sender address of any email that sends you a deal. Look for misspellings of domain names or discrepancies between the display name and the actual sender email address. Be especially wary of emails from retailers you do not recognize or have not previously used.
2. Don’t just click: Some deals can be too good to be true. Beware of lookalike sites that offer deep discounts and hard-to-find products. Even if a website or email looks legitimate, open a new browser whenever possible to visit the real eCommerce site directly rather than clicking on links through an email or on high-ranking websites on search engines – these can be manipulated to prioritize fake and fraudulent sites.
3. Delivery scam danger: Be cautious about text messages claiming to provide details on purchase deliveries. Scammers frequently send SMS phishing links under the guise of delivery notifications or delivery fee payment requests. Never click links provided via SMS. Refer back to original emails you have received or retailer apps detailing how to track your package.
4. Watch Your Bank Accounts: Sign up for fraud alert notifications from your bank/card provider. This safeguards you against scams that falsely claim there has been unauthorized activity on your accounts in order to trick you into divulging your account login and password. 
5. Add Security to Your Store Accounts: Use multi-factor authentication on all accounts that will allow it and a strong, unique password for every site. This can significantly reduce the chances—if your credentials do get stolen—of cybercriminals being able to use them to access your personal information, bank details or to conduct fraudulent transactions.
6. Download cautiously: Malware infections can occur via malicious advertising (‘malvertising’) or third-party code running on ecommerce sites, so visitors get infected through no fault of their own. Never let a website bully you into running downloaded software or calling a tech support hotline.
7. Control App Permissions: Only download mobile apps from authorized app stores. Even then, be aware of what permissions they are asking for. Apps that ask to access your text messages, contact lists, or passwords should be treated as highly suspicious. Remove any apps that you don’t need or don’t use any more.