subject: Top Malware Threats To Watch Out For This Christmas [print this page] Where the public browses online in volume, the sad fact is that cyber criminals follow. Since each new festive season brings ever more people conveniently doing their shopping via the Internet, this is a time not only for good cheer, but for added caution.
Whether youre logging on using a PC, Mac, or mobile device, its important to stay one step ahead of cyberscrooges by being ultra vigilant about scams.
The following guide explains some of the main ways that criminals will be looking to catch you out this Christmas so that you can better protect yourself.
Festive Season Phishing Attacks
In a nutshell, phishing uses scam emails or social media posts to trick people into revealing their personal information or performing actions they wouldnt normally do online. Especially over the busy Christmas period, we are all a little more prone to opening an email or clicking on a link that is holiday themed, which makes this time of year a perfect target for malware attacks. Security experts always say that if you dont know the sender, its best to ignore the message, and this applies even more during December.
In addition, smishing scams are also on the rise criminals send texts alerting users that their bank account has been compromised for example, and ask them to call the number to provide financial information. If this happens to you, its best to call the familiar, legitimate number of your bank and find out if theres a problem that way.
Smartphone Malware
Using smartphones to browse the Internet is seeing a massive increase these days, and this will rise even more over the festive season. Conversely, malware targeted at mobile devices is also seeing a massive surge, so do be mindful of this. Try only to use respected sites that you know to do your shopping while on the move.
In addition,this past year we have seen a great deal of malware warnings about infected apps for smartphones the most nefarious variants are capable of stealing your information and making your mobile send expensive text messages without your consent. Be aware that the most dangerous apps are usually offered for free and masquerade as fun applications such as games or wallpapers. Again, try only downloading apps that come from trusted outlets.
Apple Mac Threat
Traditionally hackers targeted Windows PC users, while Mac owners felt immune from security threats. With the growing popularity of Apple computing devices however, criminals are increasingly targeting this platform. Thus, all Apple fans need to be highly vigilant at this time of year.
Facebook Scams
Appealing promotions and contests brought to you on Facebook are a prime way for cyber criminals to entice you into giving away personal information which hackers can use to their advantage. If any such promotion requires you to supply numerous or sensitive details, its better to steer clear unless youre certain they come from reliable sources.
Scareware
Scareware is the name given to those fake antivirus software alerts which tell you that your computer is at risk and ask you to download their program to remedy the threat. This scam has proved to be one of the most common and dangerous Internet threats to date, with an estimated one million victims falling for it each day. Make sure to always buy antivirus software from well known suppliers, rather than falling for these scare tactics.
Christmas Screensavers, E-Cards & Ringtones
Its always fun to add to the festive spirit, but themed screensavers, ringtones and e-cards are another prime way from criminals to spread their malware, so do some research on their origin before you download them.
Fake Online Coupons
Especially in the current thrifty economic climate, online deals which give you a discount when you buy something are becoming highly popular. Be wary of these over the festive season since to redeem these coupons you are often asked to give out personal information, including your credit card details. In most cases, if a deal is too good to be true it probably is, so ensure you only redeem coupons from legitimate companies.
Malicious Hotel Wrong Transaction Emails
A recent scam sent people an email from a seemingly above-board hotel which claimed that a wrong transaction had been discovered and asked them to fill out an attached refund form to get their money back. When users clicked on the attachment however, a malware virus was unleashed. Especially since many of us will be travelling over the Christmas period, be wary of this type of scam. Opening attachments is always a dangerous thing if youre not sure of the sender.
Must-Have Gift Scams
Each year there are must-have holiday gifts which everyone is talking about, and cyber criminals know this. When hot items begin to sell out at legitimate retail outlets or their price skyrockets because of the demand, scammers move to advertise fake discounted prices for these toys and gadgets. You will then be handing out your bank details to these criminals, so resist temptation and only trust reliable outlets for your holiday shopping.
Conclusion
While Christmas is all about good food and good cheer, be mindful that cyber criminals use the shopping frenzy at this time of year to scam as many people as possible. Now more than ever, it is crucial to only buy antivirus software from respected suppliers and ensure that it is kept completely up to date. The other ways that you can add to your protection is to be highly mindful about the threats described in the above article.
