Looking Forward: New Technology in 2016
Email Scams Increase During the Holiday Season
Now that we are in the middle of the holiday season, we notice that everything speeds up around the holidays: finances, shopping, family time, and even computer security threats. With more and more people shopping online during the holidays, email phishing scams that include fake package tracking numbers, bogus discounts or coupons that link to phishing sites, and other holiday-related email scams are increasing. It is also reported that there is increased activity in the “ransomware” type of malware / spyware infections which attack computers and networks. This type of spyware is usually delivered in an email attachment or a compromised website ad.
The crucial pieces in preventing viruses, spyware, and malware are:
o Antivirus / malware software
o Spam filtering software
o Most importantly – User Awareness
Remember to check your anti-malware software, spam filtering software, and other software security measures to ensure they are fully updated and licensed. New malware is released every day, even during the holidays, so making sure your software is up to date is very important. Some other quick tips to prevent negative actions being taken against you:
o Do not supply personal information via e-mail surveys
o Do not click on links enclosed within unsolicited e-mail
o Contact the business that supposedly sent the e-mail to confirm it is genuine
o Be cautious with e-mail containing attachments, even those from known senders
o Never provide your private information through an email link that takes you to a website
o Log on to Web sites that are advertised in unsolicited e-mail rather than connecting via links in e-mails
While user awareness is the most crucial part in preventing security breaches, if you find that your computer or server may have been compromised there is no better feeling than knowing you can call someone to help. Halo MTS is available throughout the holiday season to help, and we are only a call or email away.
Related posts
