Prime Day – Be Prepared And Be Vigilant: CISO Comment

Amazon Prime Day and competing sales are in full swing, and consumers are primed and ready to take advantage of some of the biggest sales of the year. Last year, sales amounted to an estimated $7.16 billion for Amazon. But, with the surge of online shopping also comes an increase in cyber risks. As we start tracking down the best deals, threat actors are making plans to exploit the ‘sales fever’ among consumers. In fact, with physical shops operating with reduced capacity and hours due to COVID-19, Amazon is expected to have its biggest Prime Day yet, becoming a gold mine for hackers. But only if we let them. Choosing strong passwords is a general rule when creating online accounts –using a reused password can put your Amazon account in prime territory for hackers. I know it goes without saying, but long, randomly generated and unique passwords are key, but remembering them is always a hassle, the main reason we so often reuse passwords. This is where password managers and multifactor authentication can help. Password managers, like LastPass, enable you to stay on top of your login credentials, storing them in a secure, encrypted vault. Multifactor Authentication is now supported by most sites and acts as a second layer of protection when logging in to your account. When online shopping we are repeatedly asked to type in our personal information as we shop. Instead of leaving your private information on websites that may be insecure, a password manager can save as many cards and addresses in the secure vault, where they are easily accessible and can be filled in one click when you are ready to buy. After the joy of finding that deal, come the emails - from receipts to tracking numbers and feedback requests. To stay safe, consumers must be extra diligent not to fall victim to phishing emails. Check for suspicious links and potential affiliated sites – be sure you check the URL and lock symbol before proceeding. Don’t let the excitement of Prime Day and a good sale overshadow the online security practices you need to have in place – be prepared and be vigilant.  Read Less