Online Shopping Retailers Are Hit With Data Breach

The UK's National Cyber Security Centre has identified over 4,000 retailers that were compromised by hackers using known vulnerabilities on checkout pages to steal payment card information and divert payments. Over the past 18 months, the NCSC has quietly alerted vulnerable retailers.

According to the NCSC data, the majority of affected retailers used Magento e-commerce platform. This is a popular option for small and medium-sized UK retail businesses.

Holiday shopping is in full swing  and is the busiest time for shopping. The agency was determined to make sure everyone had a pleasant shopping experience.

The NCSC also advised UK retailers to be aware of cybersecurity risks and recommended that all businesses do everything they can to protect their sales portals. This includes applying all security patches to reduce risk. This is good advice regardless of where you live or how large your business.

Everyone with an internet presence knows that Christmas  traffic puts tremendous strain on the internet. Hackers are always on the lookout for customers' personal data and will be found in every corner. They do this in the hope that people will not notice their illicit activities until it is too late.

The hackers' assumptions are often correct. Unlucky internet users end up spending hundreds, if not thousands of money trying to recover their identities or pay back the hackers' debts.

This should not happen to your customers. To ensure you are ready for the holidays, allow Integrated Technology Systems conduct a comprehensive review of your security systems.

Six Phishing Scams to Watch This Holiday Season

Holidays can bring out the worst in people who profit from preying on others. For years, phishing scams have been a favorite tool of cybercriminals. These six scams are particularly damaging to unsuspecting victims in December.

Fake receipts and invoices - This is a popular way to sneak malware past IT security controls. There has been a noticeable rise in invoices, receipts and order confirmations appearing in inboxes of holiday shoppers. Normally, Amazon messages would be a red flag. However, this time of the year, many people will open the attached PDF without hesitation.

Fake shipping status alerts - Just like fake invoices, fake shipping notifications are making their way into users' inboxes. This method is often more effective than others because it does not rely on a fake purchase but makes the user feel worried about a purchase that they have made. If you receive a notice from UPS letting your package be delayed, it is likely that a user will click through.

Fake flyers and deals - During the peak holiday shopping season, users receive dozens of emails per day promoting special offers and discounts on websites they've previously visited. Be on the lookout for emails from vendors or stores you have not yet visited. Although these digital flyers might seem to offer a great deal, the most likely outcome is malware infection or loss of funds for an order that you have already placed.

Malicious embedded links - Embedded hyperlinks are as common as attachments to download malware to a computer system or redirect the target to infected websites. Be sure to take a few seconds extra to hover over any link that appears in your inbox. Although the hyperlink may appear legitimate, the link may be completely fake.

Unauthorized Transactions: It is always a good idea for you to monitor your bank accounts. This is especially important around holidays. It can be difficult to keep track of multiple purchases. However, ignoring any changes in your balance could lead you to overlook the fact that not all your purchases were made by you. One website that has poor security standards can cause your credit card information and other personal details to be stolen.

Fake Customer Surveys: Online surveys that offer cash or gift cards in exchange for taking them on can often turn out to be a fraud. The last few questions are often what distinguishes between legitimate offers from legitimate businesses and scams. It's very likely that a survey asking for financial or personal information is being used by cybercriminals to steal your identity or set up a sophisticated phishing scheme.

These threats mostly target individuals. However, if an employee is able to infect their computer or other device connected to the business network with one of these intrusions or infections, it could be devastating for your company. Hackers who are trying to gain access to personal data will be happy to help themselves with any sensitive data on your network and systems.

Talk to Integrated Technology Systems your IT provider about network security and to make sure that you have the most current patches for your firewall, antimalware, and antivirus programs.

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