Tricks and Treats for a Safe Halloween Online
As we near the end of October, we couldn't let this festive month pass without combining the spookiness of Halloween with the critical importance of Cyber Security Awareness Month. Between languid days savoring pumpkin spice lattes, falling leaves, and trick-or-treating, scammers and hackers are constantly exploiting the festive mood.
However, internet ghouls and cybercrooks do not wait until All Hallows' Eve to strike. So, whether you're putting up your fall decorations or planning a Halloween-themed party, take a moment to verify your digital safety.
Here are four recommendations for the Halloween season:
- Protect your online accounts like a witch protects her spellbook.
Online accounts are full of perks. This refers to personal information that scammers and greedy hackers desire to obtain. You should strengthen your online defenses by creating unique and strong passwords for all of your accounts and enabling any additional layers of security, such as two-factor or multi-factor authentication, to prevent efforts to steal login credentials and data.
Tips: Use a password manager as your digital gatekeeper, ensuring that your passwords are strong, unique, and secure.
- Beware of Halloween-themed Phishing Tricks and Scams.
Scammers like hiding behind a mask every day of the year, duping people with bogus emails, social media posts, and websites. However, for Halloween, their objective may flip, with false spooky-themed deals and offers designed to dupe naïve customers into handing over their money and personal information.
Our best advice is to be wary of unsolicited emails offering extremely low discounts, especially if they pressure you with a time-limited offer. If a deal appears questionable, double-check the source before clicking. Furthermore, we advise netizens to avoid dealing with Halloween-themed adverts on social media sites that offer giveaways, and to disregard any message claiming to have won a Halloween prize in a contest they never entered.
Tips: Install a security solution on your devices to protect against phishing attempts and dangerous links. This will allow you to enjoy the enjoyable parts of Halloween without falling for horrible pranks.
- Do not let cyber ghouls steal your identity.
As you parade in your Halloween costume, remember to conceal your online identity. Make sure your social network accounts are private, limit the personal information you publish, and keep alert for impersonation efforts.
Use a digital identity protection service to monitor your online activity. By doing so, you may identify and block anyone attempting to mimic you or scrape your data for profit.
Tips: Identity Protection protects your personal information from identity theft and informs you when it is exposed online in a data breach or leak. Furthermore, you'll be able to identify any digital doppelgangers who may be impersonating you online in order to swindle your friends and family.
- Defend Your Devices From Digital Monsters
Just as you wouldn't leave the door open for monsters and spirits to enter your house on All Hallows' Eve, you shouldn't leave your devices accessible to hackers and internet creepy crawlies. Keep your devices malware-free by utilizing a security solution, avoiding installing software from unknown sources, and staying up to date.
Tips: Protect your devices from malware, ransomware, and other cyberattacks, giving you peace of mind during this spooky season.
As we continue to commemorate Cybersecurity Awareness Month and Halloween, be wary of internet risks and ensure your security procedures are as strong as a scary home.
