Have you ever worried that your company’s credit card or financial information might get stolen while it’s being used for online purchases? Each year, the holiday rush brings great deals, huge online traffic, and unfortunately increased cybercrime. That is why we’re delivering our Simple IT Holiday Shopping Security Guide – to help you and your business stay safe. The Federal Trade Commission has warned that scammers build fake shopping sites and send sneaky emails to trick business shoppers out of their money, which is even more common during the holidays.
If you plan to shop online for your business this season, now is the perfect time to boost your financial safety. Two friendly tools, password managers and virtual cards, can make a huge difference. This Simple IT Holiday Shopping Security Guide walks you through how they work so you can enjoy safer online shopping during this busy time of year.
Password Managers And Virtual Cards Matter When Holiday Shopping
Shopping online for business needs is quick and convenient, but the risks are very real. Many online shoppers at the small and mid-sized businesses, non-profits, and government agencies we support, now rely on password managers and virtual cards for added protection.
A password manager creates and stores strong, unique passwords so you or your team do not have to remember dozens of them. This reduces the chance of unauthorized access and keeps sensitive accounts safer.
Virtual cards also give you an extra shield when paying online. They use temporary numbers, so ecommerce sites never see your actual card details. Even if a retailer gets hacked, your main account stays protected.
Tips and Tools to Guide Your Business Security When Buying Online
Before filling your cart, take a moment to make sure your information stays secure. These simple steps help keep end of year shopping easier and safer.
Choose A Trusted Password Manager
A reputable password manager is one that keeps your information encrypted. Well known options exist, but make sure you download only from official websites or app stores. Fake versions are common during the holidays.
Create A Strong Master Password
Your master password is the key to everything in your password manager. Make it unique, memorable only to you, and not obvious. Mixing letters, numbers, and symbols to come up with a string of words is the best way to keep your master password strong, yet uniquely memorable only to you.
Turn On Two Factor Authentication
Two Factor Authentication adds a second verification step, like a code on your phone. Even if someone steals your password, they still cannot get in if they can’t provide the second verification step.
Use Virtual Cards For Each Store
Many banks and payment apps let you create virtual card numbers. Set one up per store. If one store gets compromised, only that virtual number is affected.
Watch Expiration Dates And Spending Caps
Some virtual cards expire quickly or after a single purchase. That is great for safety, but can create some functionality headaches. Be sure to check the expiration of the virtual card before you apply it to the purchase. Spending limits also help you stay on budget and block excessive unauthorized charges that would surpass the set limit.
Shop On Secure Sites
Stick to websites you know and trust. Avoid clicking random links in ads or emails since that’s a common trick of hackers to lead toward phishing pages. Look for “https://” and a padlock symbol in your browser to confirm the site is using encryption. Not sure about a link? Send it to us at info@simple-it.us and we’ll be glad to check it out for you!
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Even with security tools, small mistakes can cause problems. Here are habits to avoid during the holiday season.
Reusing Passwords
One stolen password can lead to a long list of hacked accounts. Your password manager makes it simple to generate and organize strong and unique passwords for every site, without you having to remember any of them. (And never write your passwords down … that’s a Big No No!)
Using Public Wi Fi
Public Wi Fi is convenient, but unsafe for shopping. Hackers often sit on these networks undetected to watch and lift key financial data, a trick known as a Man In The Middle attack. Simple IT advises using your devices mobile data or a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to create a secure private connection instead of relying on risky public Wi Fi.
Ignoring Alerts
If your bank or password manager warns you about suspicious activity, act right away. Change your password and review recent transactions for anything unusual.
Saving Cards In Your Browser
Your browser may offer to store card details, but this is less secure than using virtual cards. If someone accesses your browser, they’ll have access to your saved card numbers, too.
Shop Smarter With The Simple IT Holiday Shopping Security Guide
The holidays should be fun, not stressful. With tools like password managers and virtual cards, you’ll take charge of your business's online financial security and block common tricks used by cybercriminals. As you search for year-end business deals, be sure to include security as part of your shopping checklist. Peace of mind is one of the best gifts you can give yourself!
Need help improving your cybersecurity before the holiday rush? Ready to implement a Password Manager and Virtual Cards for your business, just the way that we do it for our business and the partners we serve? Simple IT supports Northern Kentucky businesses, non-profits, and government agencies with smart, easy to use security solutions. We’d love to do the same for you! Contact us to get started so you can stay safe, work secure, and rack up the online business deals with confidence this season.
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This Article has been Republished with Permission from The Technology Press.
