Black Friday and Cyber Monday have turned into a frenzy of online transactions as people and organisations buy and sell in the build up to Christmas.

Cyber criminals know that £billions are changing hands over a short period of time and want a slice of the action. They also know that this frenzy can lead to people dropping their guard. In the last few years, we have seen a seasonal surge in cyber-crime and fraud, and we are expecting the same again this year with criminals targeting both customers and suppliers.

Our advice is:

• Think before you click – is the opportunity too good to be true, is there something suspicious about it, does the address look genuine, is there pressure to act fast or hand over additional information?
• Learn to look for signs of suspicious emails, phone calls, text messages and websites
• Use secure payment methods
• Be selective about who you do business with
• Do not provide more information than you need to avoid setting up an account if you don’t have to
• Use different passwords for different websites
• Consider using credit cards rather than debit cards as they may offer more protection
• Be very wary of using free wi-fi because these networks are often compromised by hackers
• Keep an eye on your bank account in case of unauthorised activity.

Technical controls such as passwords, multifactor authentication and up to date patches combined with good user awareness will significantly reduce the risks. If you are an organisation, consider getting certified to Cyber Essentials, which is proven to improve security, and purchase insurance to cover you against cyber enabled crime. For more information about Cyber Essentials click here>>> https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/cyberessentials/overview

For more information about cyber risks associated with Black Friday please call our team on 01905 21681 or email Enquiries@sutcliffeinsurance.co.uk.