Cyber Monday: it's
the most wonderful
time of year for
cyber-attackers
Holiday shopping triggers spike in
cybercrime, experts say, so ignore
dodgy-looking emails and social
media posts and verify orders on
retailers’ websites
More news Topics
Cyber Monday Cybercrime
Internet Email Computing
Didn’t order one of these? Then
don’t open an email about a
delivery, experts warn. Photograph:
Bloomberg/Getty Images
Jared Lindzon
Saturday 28 November 2015
12.09 GMT
This weekend kicks off the
busiest shopping season in many
parts of the world – and, starting
Cyber Monday , the most popular
season for cyber-attacks.
Malicious attacks on shoppers
increased 40% on Cyber Monday
in 2013 and 2014, according to
EnigmaSoftware.com, an anti-
malware and spyware company,
compared to the average number
of attacks on days during the
month prior. Other cybersecurity
software providers have identified
the December holiday shopping
season as the most dangerous
time of year to make online
purchases.
“The attackers know that there
are more people online, so there
will be more attacks,” said
Christopher Budd, Trend Micro’s
global threat communications
manager. “Cyber Monday is not a
one-day thing, it’s the beginning
of a sustained focus on attacks
that go after people in the holiday
shopping season.”
Budd adds that cyber-attacks
often target the hottest items of
that holiday shopping season.
“If you’re reading about it in the
mainstream press as far as what’s
really hot this year, the hackers
are too,” he said. “Whatever the
latest hot gadget is, that’s almost
always going to be used as a spam
or phishing or social media scam
lure, and that’s something that
has longevity through the
shopping season.”
Apple products as well as
PlayStation and Xbox-related items
have been key targets in years
past. Attackers will often
advertise deals that may seem too
good to be true, either through
spam emails, hacked social media
posts or fake websites, said Budd.
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