December 12, 2017
The festive season is in full swing... and so are information thieves.
Whether these criminals are prowling around online or in person, it’s an especially vulnerable time because employees are often distracted by Christmas shopping and seasonal activities.
Online Shopping: E-retail sales worldwide keep going up. Statista.ca reported that they accounted for 8.7% of all retail sales in 2016 and will almost double by 2021. Watch out: Criminals disguise attacks as ‘amazing’ offers in scam emails and fake ads to trick people into providing personal details. Financial Fraud Action UK (FFA UK) reported that 31% of online shoppers are more likely to take a financial risk if an online retailer offers them a bargain.
SHhopping by Smart Phone: The use of smart phones for purchasing and doing online banking has doubled in a year, according to the Kaspersky Lab Beyond Black Friday Threat Report 2017. Watch out: Cyber criminals are increasingly targeting mobile device users with scams and apps. Tactics such as one-click buying make purchases easier.
Home Work: Employees often take work home during the festive season. Watch out: During the Christmas season, there’s a tendency to be careless and rushed. For example, instead of being selective about information to take home, entire documents are downloaded.
Travel: Many employees bring their mobile devices as they travel to visit family and friends. Watch out: Leaving mobile equipment including USB drives in taxis, hotel rooms, parked vehicles, and coffee shops, is common. A Kensington study showed that over half of IT theft occurs in cars, airports, and hotels and restaurants.
Skeleton Staff: Many offices all but shut down over the holidays. Watch out: With a skeleton staff, there’s an increased risk of insider fraud and possibly theft by outsiders.
To learn more about how Shred-it can protect your documents and hard drives, please contact us to get a free quote and data security survey.