Cyber Security During the Holidays

It is that time of year again! With holiday season bringing cheer and happiness, it can also bring a few dilemmas. Most of us try to be very aware of our electronics and the details on them, but the season of purchasing gifts can also bring along fraudulent online activity. Here are a few tips on how to keep your information safe during the holidays!

Back it Up

Before you go on holiday vacation, be sure that all of your information is also stored on your home desktop. This ensures that if anything were to get stolen while you are traveling, you have a copy of everything you may need at home.

Don’t Share Your Location

If you are planning to travel during the holidays, resist telling people where you are headed and when you will be gone. Since many of us are very heavily active on social media, our whereabouts are almost always known by our friends and can also be available to the public.

Say No To Shared Networks

Everyone is constantly looking for wifi, especially in a new destination, but don’t link to public wifi. When you connect to public wifi, other people can easily view your information that you most likely don’t want to share. Another huge problem with public wifi is that other people can access your device, which is a dilemma we try to always avert. A simple way to ensure that your wifi is safe is by asking the concierge what their network is and receive a copy of their username and password.

Emailing

Be careful when emailing during the holidays, particularly your business email. Automatic replies are easy giveaways that you are vacant from your office or home which is a clear indicator that you are out of town. This gives cybercriminals the upper hand. Instead of creating an instant reply to emails you receive while absent, have a co-worker answer them for you.

Double Authentication

Activate double authentication on your applications. This makes it much harder for cyberattackers. When you turn on double authentication, your application will alert you immediately of another user trying to log on with your credentials and you can easily block it.

These simple steps will help give you more peace of mind, especially around the holidays. If you have any questions about what to do, please don’t hesitate to contact us through our website or by calling us at 843-549-5476. We hope everyone has a safe and Happy Holiday!