Article contributed by Jonna Nevins, Cloud DevOps Engineer at Cyderes
Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and you know what that means – a whirlwind of online deals from Black Friday to Cyber Monday! But as we dive into the deep end of online shopping, let's not forget the cybersecurity essentials. Here’s a quick rundown on how both online retailers and shoppers can keep their cyber guards up during the holiday rush.
For the Online Retailers Out There:
Boost Your Website's Shield: Web crawlers are like digital snoopers, tirelessly scanning your site for info. You don't want them nosing around, especially in sensitive areas like order pages. And then there are web injections – these are sneaky cyber tricks where hackers inject malicious code into your website, wreaking all sorts of chaos. How do you combat these digital gremlins? Mask your sensitive content – think of it as putting on a digital invisibility cloak. And don’t forget about input validation – it’s like having a bouncer at the door, checking the IDs of all incoming data. Stay sharp and keep those web troublemakers at bay!
Prep for the Online Onslaught: Expect a deluge of eager customers. Make sure your cloud setup is ready to handle the surge and don't take DDoS attacks lightly. These can literally bring your online presence to a standstill, and nobody wants that during the biggest sales of the year.
Give Your Frontline a Crash Course in Cyber Smarts: Your customer service and web tech teams are like the goalkeepers of your cyber field. A bit of pre-holiday cyber training can make a world of difference. It’s all about spotting and stopping cyber threats before they score.
For My Fellow Shoppers:
Don't Trust Every Deal You See: If an online sale feels too good to be true, it just might be. Stick to the tried-and-true vendors and double-check those website credentials before you click ‘buy now.’
Fortify Your Online Fortresses: Think of your online account as a treasure chest. Now, 2-factor authentication (2FA) is like adding a sturdy padlock alongside your regular lock. You need two keys – your password and something only you have, like a code from your phone – to open it. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) takes it up a notch by adding even more verification steps, like a fingerprint or a facial scan. It's like having a lock, a padlock, and a guard dog all in one. This way, even if someone guesses your password, they'll have a tougher time getting to your digital treasures. So, always enable 2FA or MFA – it's your personal digital security team!
Get Creative with Your Passwords: It’s time for a password makeover! Go long, and go strong – mix it up with numbers, letters, and special characters. The longer and weirder, the better.
So, as we gear up for some serious online shopping, let’s keep these cybersecurity tips in mind. Better safe than sorry, right? Here’s to a secure and successful holiday shopping season!
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