'Tis The Season To Be Careful - Holiday IT Security

“The scams that we get all year long are the same scams that happen around the holiday season. It’s just that people are more apt to maybe fall for them during the holidays.”

This is a quote from Donna Gregory, the unit chief for the Internet Crime Complaint Center (the FBI's authority on internet scams), and it is spot on. This time of year people are filled with comfort and joy, which is great, but cyber criminals love to take advantage of your holiday cheer. The Anti-Phishing Working Group’s (APWG) noted that phishing attacks significantly increased between October and December 2016 (and will be even more for 2017). The organization reported 51,153 phishing emails in October, 64,324 in November, and an even more significant spike in December with nearly 96,000 reported attacks. So, someone out there is trying to ruin your holidays, and their name isn't Ebenezer Scrooge.

What can you do?

Now we at iuvo Technologies live and breath IT security and best practices at work, but not all products and services that keep businesses and enterprises secure are available for home users. So, we've decided to compile a list of security resources that are a good starting point for any home user. Better yet, our CEO, Bryon Beilman sat down and discussed these resources, and what home users need to keep in mind while online.  

It is part of a Better Banking Video Series hosted by Walter Laskos of the CCUA (Be on the lookout for Part 2 in 2018.) If you are in Rhode island, you can catch this on your local TV station a few times per week.

So, if you have any last minute shopping to do, make sure you check out these links. However, remember that this information applies to home internet usage year round.

We hope this holiday IT security information helps, and that it enables you to safely enjoy the holiday season.