11 On Line Threats That Jeopardize Your Business
Protecting your business from fraudsters and scammers is vital particularly when using the internet
. Fortunately financial institutions and companies are now more aware than ever and are putting in place preventative measures.
However, as an on line business owner it will be up to you to be alert. Whilst the internet can open many possibilities for its users it is important to exercise caution in order to manage risk and stay safe.
Given below are precautions and causes of on line risks including some identified by Action Fraud and McAfee.
11 On Line Threats
1. The most common security threats online come from USB worms and password-stealing Trojans. USB worms are spread via USB drives and can infect a computer as soon as the USB is inserted into the machine. It can also send copies of itself to other computers on a network.
As well as infections originating from portable storage devices, the other most widespread security issues come from password-stealing Trojans.
2. Major news events used by cybercriminals
The report also found that those behind major online security threats are using major news events to poison internet searches. Haiti and Chile earthquake disasters, the Toyota recall and the Apple iPad have all been used by cybercriminals to manipulate search engines and send traffic to malicious websites.
3. Trojans, worms and other online threats may be avoided by following some online safety tips.
As a rule, everyone should be wary of opening unexpected emails and should not run attached files, programmes or visit websites contained within untrustworthy emails.
Such attacks will often use language to trick users into running the malicious code, so question it even if it seems like it could be genuine.
All computers should have anti-virus and anti-spyware software installed and kept regularly up-to-date, as well as a firewall.
4. Be careful about giving out personal information (name, address, bank details etc) online. You should only ever have to do this when completing transactions online with trustworthy retailers and service providers.
5. Banks will never email asking you to click on a link to verify your account details. Do not click on the link if you receive an email like this, even if it looks genuine. Always type in your banks website address directly into the address bar to access your account online.
6. Sign-up to Verified by Visa or MasterCard Secure Code when you are given the option while shopping online. This involves you registering a password with your card company and adds an additional layer of security to online transactions with signed-up retailers.
7. The number of companies falling victim to fraud has increased from 10% to 21% in the last two years in Western Europe. [27 May 2010] According to a survey by Ernst & Young.
8. It is also important to ensure payment when dealing with a customer for the first time. Use an on line financial system such as PayPal or submit a pro-forma invoice.
9.Also be aware of chargebacks which is a difficult problem on line as there is often no written contract. A chargeback is where the customer reclaims the money from the credit card payment using various excuses. This can be done up to six months after the transaction. It is possible your bank will have systems in place to deal with this.
10.Beware the customers who complain about the quality of their goods and ask for a refund. This is particularly difficult if you are offering a service. There are fraudsters who will try to not pay for all sorts of reasons. Stand firm have in place a good back up proof system.
11.Identity Theft Fraud. This is a huge problem both for individuals and businesses. There is an official website which will provide all the information you need to avoid becoming a victim.
http://www.identitytheft.org.uk/security.asp?action=in
by: Daniel J Thorley
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