With Christmas just 11 days away, shopping is still in full swing for most consumers around the world. According to a survey of shoppers by the National Retail Federation, as of Thanksgiving 2016, only 9 percent of US shoppers are finished with their Christmas buying. With the majority of shoppers choosing to shop online, the […]
The post How to Shop Online in Secret, and Other Tips This Holiday Season appeared first on Avira Blog.
Keep your Christmas shopping safely hidden and under wraps with the Avira Vault.
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At home, on the move, on a computer or via a mobile, online shopping habits have changed massively as technology as become more powerful. With Christmas around the corner, we look at some of the key details.
The post Safe, secure online shopping at home and on the go appeared first on We Live Security.
At this time of the year, your credit cards see a lot of action – online and at the stores. Credit card fraud takes place every day, but in the holiday shopping season you need to be extra diligent to keep cybercooks from getting hold of your cards and card numbers. Here are six easy tips that even the least tech-savvy among us can follow.
Make it tough for cybercrooks to steal your credit card number
Some people scan their cards and save the copies on their laptop, others write all the numbers down and keep them in a safe place. Whatever method you choose, keep a record of your account numbers, their expiration dates and the phone number to report fraud.
When online shopping, it’s safer to use a credit card than a debit card. Credit cards come with consumer protections against fraud that debit cards do not have. Check your account regularly during the season for any strange charges and report the activity as soon as you can. Many companies have toll-free numbers and 24 hour service if you lose your card.
Another good practice is to use a single credit card for your online purchases. It’s easier to manage the account, as well as your holiday gift spending budget, without lots of other miscellaneous charges cluttering the statement.
Many web sites use cookies to save information that you input. On a public computer, you could accidentally leave your information accessible to the next user. Hackers could also install keylogger software that records your keystrokes, giving them access to usernames, passwords, and card numbers.
It’s tempting to use a store’s free Wi-Fi to do price comparisons when you are out shopping. But you risk losing your personal information to hackers if you log on to an unprotected Wi-Fi. Our Avast research team recently set up some fake Wi-Fi hotspots to see how many people would connect and what kind of information they could collect. In only 7 hours, 264 people connected to the fake Wi-Fi network end generated 512,000 data packets. It’s just too easy for a hacker to have access to your data.
You can safely use a public Wi-Fi hotspot if you first connect to a VPN (Virtual Private Network). Avast SecureLine VPN is an easy way to hide all your online activities from prying eyes. You simply launch the VPN and it will connect to a nearby server and encrypt all data flowing in or out making it invisible to anyone outside.
Email phishing attacks increase during the holiday season. Sophisticated cybercrooks design their emails to look like they come from legitimate companies. For example, you may receive a fake email from an online retailer or a shipping company such as UPS, DHL, or FedEx alerting you that your order did not process or cannot be delivered. A typical scenario is that they ask you to follow a link to a website where you can re enter your credit card information.
Do not click links in emails. You run the risk of malware infection, or voluntarily giving your card number to a crook. Instead, go directly to the website or call their customer service department.
Well known websites like Amazon or or large retailers are most likely safe. But the small, unknown websites could be riskier.
If you use Avast SafePrice extension in your browser, then you can trust the safety and integrity of the online shop, as well as getting the lowest price. Learn more about the extension in Can shopping extensions help you find the best prices?
Follow Avast on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Google+ where we keep you updated on cybersecurity news every day.
When it comes to shopping online, Germany is the most security conscious country in the world – most will use a security solution to thwart cybercriminals.
The post How your nationality may influence your online Black Friday shopping appeared first on We Live Security.
The holiday shopping season is upon us and shoppers are flocking to the Web to find online deals and coupons. Shopping extensions for your web browser can help you find the best prices, but how do you know you are finding a great deal from a SAFE and trusted retailer?
There are several shopping tools that can help you find the lowest price from around the web, but I’ll start with the one that finds low prices and guarantees the safety and integrity of the online shop – Avast’s very own SafePrice.
Instead of visiting price comparison sites first, all you do is go to your favorite online store and pick out what you want to buy. SafePrice checks the price against thousands of verified stores, then displays the best deals and coupons at the very top of your browser. The bar is invisible when you’re not shopping.
Avast users already have SafePrice installed. If you are not an Avast user, but wnat to use it to find trusted stores, then add the extension to Chrome from the Chrome Web Store.
Here’s what SafePrice does:
SafePrice will never compromise your privacy. The specific products you are searching for and the URLs of the shopping sites you visit are communicated to our server. All personally identifiable information is stripped from this data in real time, so that the data that comes into our servers is completely anonymous.
InvisibleHand
InvisibleHand discreetly notifies you if the product you’re shopping for is available more cheaply from another retailer or travel site. It also shows you deals on hotels, rental-cars, and flights. Available for Chrome and Firefox.
Honey
Click on the Honey ‘Find Savings’ button during checkout and Honey will automatically apply coupon codes to your shopping cart. Available for Chrome and Firefox.
The Camelizer
For power-shoppers, this extension lets you track product price history information for items on Amazon, Best Buy, and Newegg. If you don’t need to buy the item now, you can sign up for price drop alerts via email or Twitter. Available for Chrome and Firefox.
RetailMeNot Coupons
For those who want to shop from their Android device (last year 53% of us did!), you can install RetailMeNot and search for the top deals and coupons from over 50,000 retailers.
Read our tips for safe shopping online.
Follow Avast on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Google+ where we keep you updated on cybersecurity news every day.
The holiday season is coming up and we expect that many will opt to shop online to avoid the big crowds in city centers, malls and stores.
In America, Cyber Monday, the cyber version of shopping day Black Friday, was born in the mid 2000s. Cyber Monday sales have steadily increased since its inception and according to IBM Digital Analytics, sales grew 8.5% in 2014. According to ComScore, purchases are now also being made from smartphones with overall spending from mobile devices in the millions.
Americans aren’t the only ones who have embraced Cyber Monday, many other retailers around the world have come together to offer deals on the Monday after U.S. Thanksgiving and in China, Singles’ Day (November 11th) has become a major ecommerce day with 27,000 online merchants participating in 2014.
via v3.co.uk
This is not only an exciting time for online retailers and online shoppers but also for cyber criminals. I spoke with our senior malware analyst, Jaromír Hořejší about how cybercriminals are preparing for Cyber Monday:
Cybercriminals will use the same tactics they always do, but target consumers more during Black Friday with “special” offers via fake email campaigns to trick people into shopping on fraudulent sites to steal their information and money.
It is, therefore, vital you have antivirus installed on all of your devices. Antivirus software, like Avast, will detect and block phishing attacks before they can affect consumers.
Consumers should also make sure all of the software on their devices is up-to-date. Attackers often exploit vulnerabilities, which can be found in outdated software and by exploiting outdated software they can infect your device to then steal your financial information while you shop online.
In addition, consumers should shop at online stores that are known and credible. Credible sites usually use the HTTPS protocol, assuring secure communication. You can recognize if a site is using the HTTPS protocol by the little padlock in the address bar of your browser. If you are on a check out page and you don’t see the HTTPS padlock, do not enter your personal data and financial information!
How to minimize risks while shopping online
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Black Friday and Cyber Monday promise to offer some fantastic deals at low prices. But it’s also a time of year when cybercriminal scams are aplenty. Here’s what you should do to do to shop safely.
The post You are 6 security steps away from Black Friday brilliance appeared first on We Live Security.
It’s the end of the year and that means the festive season is almost here! Many of us will be buying gifts for our friends and loved ones, and many of us will being doing it online — it’s convenient, less hassle and there are some great deals to be found.
Scammers don’t take holidays. Unfortunately they’re especially busy during the holiday season targeting unsuspecting online shoppers who are eager to snap up Christmas bargains.
Here are a few things you can do to enjoy safer online shopping this season.
1. Buy from reputable and trusted stores or sellers
When shopping online you should try and purchase from trusted or well-established online stores or marketplaces, and ensure that sellers or merchants have a good reputation and track record.
Some scammers take the time to set up highly elaborate and genuine looking websites, so don’t be fooled by their good looks. If in doubt, do your research — read reliable online reviews, ask around in website forums, and maybe even go that extra mile and check a seller’s business credentials.
Some e-commerce sites give you the option of using a third party payment method. This can be useful if they offer features like Paypal’s buyer protection. It means that if something does go wrong you can recover some of your money.
2. Avoid the ‘too good to be true’ offer
If you see deals or offers that are too good to be true, then they probably are — try and avoid them. Shoppers are often tempted into taking up unbelievable offers, and in doing so purchase a product that never arrives or they inadvertently divulge their private and financial details to scammers.
3. Pay securely
When purchasing online always make sure you’re using a secure payment method at the checkout. This will ensure that the information being sent in the transaction is encrypted and can’t be intercepted. You can confirm that an online store’s checkout is encrypted by making sure there is a little lock icon visible in the address bar, followed by ‘https’ and not ‘http’.
4. Avoid upfront payments or fees
You might receive an unsolicited email saying that you’ve received a prize in a competition or a parcel that needs to be delivered, but to receive it you first need to pay an administrative fee or extra postage. Be very wary! Don’t give out any details or pay any fees upfront to claim a ‘free’ item from someone via an unsolicited email, message or phone call.
5. Watch out for phishing emails
Phishing emails often look legitimate and are from businesses that you would normally use — It could be a bank, online store or even a government agency.
The fake email might provide plausible reasons for you to click a link to visit a website and update your details, for example: a problem with your account that needs an update, or that you need to confirm an existing order with correct account credentials.
Be very careful. Don’t reply to the email or click any links, instead go directly to the business or organisation’s website in your browser and login into your account to verify everything is in order.
Also, remember to avoid opening any file attachments from unsolicited or unknown senders. If you do, you could be at risk of accidentally installing malware or trojans.
6. Install an antivirus solution and keep software up-to-date
You should keep all your software and the operating system on your devices up-to-date to avoid vulnerabilities that could be exploited by malicious software and hackers. If you don’t have one already, you should consider installing an effective antivirus solution to prevent viruses and malware.
AVG offers award winning antivirus protection — PC users can install AVG AntiVirus Free, and Mac users can download our free AVG AntiVirus for Mac. If you have a phone running Android, you can download AVG AntiVirus for Android from the Google Play Store, which is also free.
Happy holidays and stay safe out there.
If you or anybody you know has been affected by cybercrime fraud you can report it to:
US
Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internet Crime Complaints Center
http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx
UK
ActionFruad – National Fraud & Cyber Crime Reporting Centre
http://www.actionfraud.police.uk
AUS
Scamwatch
https://www.scamwatch.gov.au/report-a-scam
ACORN – Australian Cybercrime Online Reporting Network
https://report.acorn.gov.au
That online shopping increases day by day is not news. If you are an average user, you are probably already aware of the normal precautions and have taken them yourself. Ease of use and convenience when browsing for different products or searching for the best prices has improved greatly. However, at the same time, online threats and frauds have also increased exponentially. Therefore, from time to time, all of us must review our behavior and think again if our habits are secure.
Follow a few simple tips to stay safe while shopping online
1. Use your own computer or mobile device when shopping. It seems obvious, but you cannot trust a computer that does not belong to you, even your best friend’s computer. It might not have appropriate protection and it could already be compromised by malware. So, always use your own device, install an anti-malware solution and before you start doing anything that involves your money, scan your network to discover if it is safe.
2. Use your own Wi-Fi connection with a strong password. You must use a non-standard password for your network and router. Router vulnerabilities and weak passwords allow cybercrooks easy access to your home network. This sounds complicated, but it’s really not. Avast Home Network Security can help you by guiding you to the manufacturer’s website. The blog post will help you understand what it does and why it’s important.
3. If you cannot avoid using public/open Wi-Fi, use a VPN to encrypt your communications, or it could be eavesdropped on and your financial data and credit card credentials could be stolen. Avast SecureLine VPN offers strong encryption for Windows, Mac, and Android devices.
4. Choose your online store wisely. Focus on the best-known ones, where you can read other consumers’ opinions and reviews. We prefer the official site, especially if you are buying apps, so you can avoid fakes or other software bundled together with what you want. Nevertheless, this is not enough. Rogue apps have been know to slip into official stores like Google Play or Windows Store. You really need to have a security app installed and updated in your device: why don’t you do it right now with free Avast Mobile Security?
5. Look for a safe site. Nowadays, all the safe sites use HTTPS protocol (you know, that little padlock in the address bar of our browser). Avast products also scan your HTTPS traffic and prevents many threats. Do not give personal information: common sense is a good security measure, why would you need to inform your birthday to the online store? Moreover, while you are browsing, take your time to check refund policies, privacy policy (what do they do with your personal data), and product guarantees.
6. Search for the best price. You may find the free tool Avast SafePrice (available as a browser plugin called Avast Online Security) useful in helping you find the best offers online in trusted stores.
7. Do not use the same password for all your accounts. You must be aware that if you have an account or have done business with any company that falls victim to a breach, hackers sell your passwords to other cybercrooks. Use different passwords in different sites and a password service.
8. Keep your own computer up-to-date. A lot of security issues start when hackers exploit vulnerabilities in the software installed in your computer. The more popular software they are, the better for hackers. Adobe, Oracle, and Microsoft are only recent examples.
9. Keep a paper trail. Print or save your transaction records; it will be easier for any post sale issue. While you have a trail, you can check your credit card statement to make sure transactions match and if there were unauthorized charges.
10. Prefer safe payment options like your credit card or PayPal. Do not send money directly to the store or vendor. Credit cards have built-in protections and you can receive a refund in case of fraud.
Follow Avast on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Google+ where we keep you updated on cybersecurity news every day.
