As the holiday season approaches, and an overall increase in mobile phone usage, hackers are on the prowl for your data during what should be the most wonderful time of the year. To combat cybercriminals this holiday season, we are sharing the following mobile security tips for safe online shopping:
- When browsing or shopping on your phone, always look for “https” in the URL instead of “http.” This indicates an added level of security, which should always appear before exchanging any private information. Do not buy anything while connected to a public Wi-Fi. These networks are not encrypted.
- Never download a payment app you don’t recognize or buy from an unknown app store. Cybercriminals with knowledge of web development can create phony shopping apps that they use to steal personal information from unsuspecting shoppers.
- Never click on links from spam emails to make purchases. It’s always a bad idea to click on a link in an email from someone you don’t know, but it’s particularly dangerous if you buy on a site advertised in a spam email.
- Run regular updates on your retail apps, especially when patches are released to fix security holes. Also, make sure your mobile device has the latest software update.
- After making a purchase, remember to log off of the retailer’s site.
