The 2020 holiday season is prime time for hackers, scammers, and cyber criminals.

This year, likely more Americans than ever will be online looking for the best gifts and Cyber Monday deals while trying to avoid the crowds due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Cyber criminals have been gearing up for this occasion for months now and are looking to take advantage of unsuspecting shoppers. Their primary goal is to steal personal and financial information and they will primarily use fake websites or charities.  

The best defense against these threats is awareness. There are a few simple steps we all can take to be more secure before and after we shop.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) published some awesome tips for those looking to steal some serious deals online this holiday season. You can download their Holiday Online Safety guide here.

1. Check Your Devices: Before making any online purchases, make sure the device you’re using to shop online is up-to-date. Next, take a look at your accounts and ask, do they each have strong passwords? And even better, if two-factor authentication is available, are you using it?

1. Only Shop Through Trusted Sources: Think about how you’re searching online. Are you searching from home, on public Wi-Fi? How are you finding the deals? Are you clicking on links in emails? Going to trusted vendors? Clicking on ads on webpages? You wouldn’t go into a store with boarded up windows and without signage, the same rules apply online. If it looks suspicious, something’s probably not right.

2. Use Safe Methods for Purchases: If you’re going to make that purchase, what information are you handing over? Before providing personal or financial information, check the website’s privacy policy. Make sure you understand how your information will be stored and used.

Be safe and remain vigilant this holiday season! More information about holiday and online shopping safety can be found on the CISA website at: cisa.gov/shop-safely