It’s been a tough year but don’t let your guard down this holiday season, cybercriminals sure don’t. Here are some simple things you can do to stay protected when traveling or buying gifts online.
Safety tips for this holiday season
Use a secure network/Wi-Fi – Hopping on a public Wi-Fi network while waiting for your next flight connection, or just reading and relaxing at your coffee shop is great, BUT it’s definitely not cyber-safe. Best not to shop online on public Wi-Fi. Use a VPN or hotspot instead. And never leave your tablet, laptop, or smartphone unattended.
Use strong passwords – Creating unique passwords for all your accounts and enabling 2-factor authentication can help keep bad guys out, even if they have your password! Google data shows 2-factor authentication blocks 100% of automated bot hacks. Today, it’s offered by most password-enabled accounts. Not familiar with 2-factor authentication? Here is how it works.
Use a digital wallet – Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay provide this for free. A digital wallet offers protection against fraudulent transactions. They use a unique code for every transaction called tokenization.
In a nutshell, when you pay for something using a digital wallet, instead of using your actual card number. The digital wallet generates a one-time unique code (token) to process your payment, keeping your information safe.
Using your digital wallet involves other layers of security. Many require a pin, fingerprint, or facial recognition scan.
Following these simple tips will help you stay protected. Believe me–they’re way more convenient than getting hacked!! Still, always exercise caution, don’t give away information on sites that is not required, make sure your devices have the latest software updates and enjoy the holidays.
– Alejandro
Alejandro Chavez
Business Dev Mgr
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