Innovation Networks

An Innovation Monthly Newsletter Article

Don't let the Web Grinch get you this holiday season!

(NC)-Keeping your purse and wallet tightly gripped at the mall and making sure your holiday shopping purchases are well concealed in your car are just two common sense practices Canadians should do to avoid theft during the holidays.

But what about those virtual pickpockets and holiday Grinches who victimize Canadians on the Internet?

As the cyber threat landscape evolves, it's essential for Canadians to take even greater precautions when making purchases over the Internet this holiday season. Internet security expert Symantec recommends following these simple tips to keep personal identity protected:

• Use an all-in-one Internet security solution to ensure you and your computer are safeguarded from the latest cyber threats. Symantec's Norton 360, for example, provides PC security, identity protection, backup and tune-up services.
• Beware of phishing emails, whereby fraudsters randomly send millions of e-mails in an attempt to obtain personal information, such as credit card numbers or online banking passwords.
• Watch out for Trojan Horses! Consumers who download content without online security software run the risk of infecting their PCs with a Trojan Horse that can damage or compromise a computer's security. This threat typically arrives in your inbox in the form of a joke and prompts you to open an attached file, which may contain a virus, a hidden program that steals your personal information or, even worse, takes over your computer without you even knowing it (this is called a "botnet").
• Consumers should routinely check to see if their PC is vulnerable to threats by using Symantec Security Check. Simply go to www.symantec.com/securitycheck. The free clean-up tool will provide a security search of your computer for online threats and scan for the detection of viruses.

Enjoy your time online this holiday season - but take the necessary precautions to protect yourself!

Source - News Canada