Vigilance Keeps the Holidays Happy

The holidays are here and the “Black Friday” of the online shopping world — “Cyber Monday” — is Monday, November 28. While the risk of being hacked, conned or having sensitive information stolen is possible all through the year, most security experts agree that the holiday season brings a spike in fraudulent activity, both online and off. The days after Thanksgiving are some of the biggest online shopping days of the year. Cost-conscious shoppers will make their way online, and retailers expect e-commerce holiday sales to increase over last year, in spite of the recession.

The additional financial stress consumers are shouldering this year could lead to an increase in fraud this holiday season. With 13.9 million people unemployed, the threat is high. Historically, during an economic downturn, fraud skyrockets. Here are some best practices for each of us and our customers to follow while observing Cyber Monday.

• Don’t trust unsolicited email; Delete Spam
• NEVER follow links in emails, type the address in a non-Citrix browser
• Practice safe behavior when it comes to your email. If it looks weird, or comes from an unknown person, don’t open it. Even opening what you think is an email from a friend or relative could unleash a virus or a Trojan onto your network.
• NEVER share any sensitive information through open email or over the phone (without verification)
• Use caution with your email content, refrain from trivial messages
• When shopping from home only use Internet merchants you know and trust. If in doubt, check with the Better Business Bureau (http://www.us.bbb.org/)

Also, it is important to monitor suspicious activity related to all of our tasks (online and in person).

Criminals consider your personal data and access to our systems the ultimate gifts. We can deny them those gifts. Taking a few easy precautions during the holidays will help protect you and will help protect our systems both here and at home.

Vigilance will help keep us all happy and safer during this season of joy.