How to Shop Securely And Safely On The Web
The Internet is a convenient place to do your shopping, but it isn’t without risks. Before you add to cart and checkout, check out these safety tips
One of the most amazing things about the Internet is its vast array of online stores. In the limitless virtual mall that is the web, you can find nearly anything you desire if you look in the right places. Unfortunately, there are also a surplus of hackers who view online stores as the perfect outlet to illegally collect information.
No matter how secure or well-known an online store is, there is always the risk that your information as a customer could be exposed, recently exemplified this past month when Amazon suffered a security breach that leaked tens of thousands of login credentials. In order to avoid your information being among the next leaks, heed the online shopping tips below:
Password Complexity Is Important
Sure, it’s convenient to remember a simple password – like your name or hometown – but this is extremely easy for hackers to guess. In reality, any password that doesn’t include a variation of uppercase and lowercase letters, special characters like !, and several numbers is prone to being hacked.
Even if it means keeping a hard note somewhere of your complex password, the headache of glancing at the note each time is much less than someone obtaining all your information and attempting identity theft.
Look for the Lock
Trusted online stores like Amazon have a locked lock to the left of their URL (https://www.amazon.com/) in the address bar on the top of your browser. This means they have SSL (secure sockets layer) encryption installed, which means that the information you’re sending them – like credit card numbers and personal addresses – is secure. Never provide sensitive personal information to sites without the lock. It’s also especially important to never provide your credit card information over email, even if the sender claims to be from a trusted store. Trusted sites will always keep exchange of information to a section of their site that’s secured with SSL.
Use Familiar Sites
While it’s true that any online store, even Amazon, is prone to leaks and hacks, it happens much less there than on lesser-established sites. In addition to potential headaches involving slow shopping and lack of customer support, unfamiliar sites pose a security risk, as they’re less likely to have SSL encryption installed, consequently providing a more open network environment for hackers to obtain your information.
Use PSafe Digital Security
Even when taking the precautions above, you’ll still need an extra layer of security to shop securely online. PSafe accomplishes this on a variety of platforms, providing cloud-based software and free internet protection for Windows and Android users in Brazil and Latin America. PSafe Total, available for both platforms, provides software optimization features and operating system protection that will notify you of any potential intrusions while you online shop, which is an outstandingly useful feature considering how rampant hackers are.
Using complex passwords, paying attention to SSL encryption presence, prioritizing familiar sites and using PSafe Total are all ways to significantly improve the safety of your online shopping.