Using technology to shop is fine, but watch out
On Black Friday tomorrow, ensure your personal data is secure.
With the Covid-19 pandemic, more retailers are moving to online trade.
Black Friday is one of the biggest digital transaction hotspots on the calendar and opens us up to a multitude of cyber risks, such as malware, phishing schemes and data hacks.
Here are six ways to ensure your time online is safe:
Tip #1: Look out for HTTPS
Check the URL begins with HTTPS, not HTTP, or has a lock icon next to it. This means the site has security measures in place, ensuring your browsing is encrypted.
Tip #2: Avoid saving financial info on shopping sites
Websites with SSL verification can still be hacked. Online stores allow you to save your card information on your profi le for future purchases, but if you can access this information, chances are hackers can, too. Remove your financial details completely after checkout.
Tip #3: Use reputable sites
Stick with well-known online retailers with established payment gateways such as PayPal and card payments. Some sites might look legitimate, but could redirect you to a malicious payment gateway. Always use reputable payment gateways with verification and security methods in place. Retailers requesting wire transfers are a no-no.
Tip #4: Create strong passwords and change them o en
People often use the same simple passwords across applications, which puts your accounts at risk of malicious passwordbreaking malware. Never use the same online password: if one site gets hacked, your credentials can be used to access other sites. When devising a password, aim for something that is at least 12 characters long; a whole sentence or catchphrase is often more complex than a single word combined with numbers and symbols.
A key vault can be used to store these passwords and even generate strong passwords.
Tip #5: Enable two-factor authentication when signing In
Multi-factor authentication – or login approval – is a series of verification steps that create an additional measure of security over and above your username and password.
When logging in, this security measure prompts you to have to identify yourself again – often with a one-time code sent to another device or platform, and more recently through biometric verifications such as fi ngerprint scans or facial recognition. Look out for two-factor authentication on shopping sites, and ensure this is enabled from your banking service provider.
Tip #6: Be wary of sharing your info for marketing
When completing a transaction online, users are often prompted to avail their personal information, such as names and contact details, for marketing purposes – this could be abused and can be in contravention of the pending PoPia legislation due in June of next year.
Also never provide personal information over the phone – no retailer, courier or bank will ever ask for your credit card details, pins or verification codes when shopping online. These tips were provided by Nithen Naidoo, CEO and founder of Snode Technologies
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