Security Tips for the Holidays

With only a few days left before the year-end holidays, people are starting to plan for the long vacation. Whether it’s staying in to catch up on your favorite TV series or hitting your favorite getaway destination, it’s always important to pay attention to your security. This means not only the security of your home, but security when it comes to your online habits and the way you use your devices as well.

Most people spend a lot of their time using their computers and mobile devices at work. As such, users tend to neglect their devices at home, making them more prone to threats or (and?) attacks. This vacation, cybercriminals are working overtime and keeping their eyes out for potential victims from whom they could steal money and personal sensitive data. To help you get some peace of mind before kicking off your long vacation, here are some helpful security tips you could use:

• Beware when browsing and opening emails- it’s the perfect season for the bad guys to take advantage of users. Be wary of clicking on offers, emails, messages, and even posts in social media networks as they may lead to malicious sites.

• Always use a secure network – if you’re travelling, avoid connecting to public network as it increases the risk of being attacked by cybercriminals. Use a virtual private connection (VPN) instead to ensure a smooth and threat-free browsing experience.

• Use unique and strong passwords for all your online accounts – users tend to take their passwords for granted and opt to use the same ones for all their accounts. By using a password that is hard to guess, it will be difficult for the bad guys to invade your accounts.

• When travelling, be wary of fake apps available at your destination – due to the increasing threats that target mobile users, it's important to be extra careful when it comes to downloading apps. Always get your apps from official app stores and avoid third party vendors.

• When making online purchases or payments, make sure that you are using the right payment app by verifying with the official store.

• If you're traveling, don’t forget to update your operating systems and other software on the devices you're taking with you before you leave. Running outdated systems and software could allow cybercriminals to exploit unpatched vulnerabilities, which could lead to devastating consequences.