Tips to avoid having your holidays hacked while mobile shopping
NEW YORK, N.Y. - PRIVATE Wi-Fi has teamed up with the National Cyber Security Alliance to help holiday shoppers stay cyber secure when using their mobile devices this holiday season. Today they release an infographic and announce a Data Privacy Day Twitter chat, both focused on the threats of holiday shopping on the go and how to stay safe.
The infographic illustrates that the proliferation of mobile shopping is good for online commerce but potentially risky for consumers who increasingly rely on public Wi-Fi for holiday shopping:
- 40% of online shopping for last year's Black Friday occurred on a mobile device - 52% of online shoppers used their mobile devices to make holiday purchases in 2013 - 88% of people know that identity theft is a potential issue when using public Wi-Fi; however, 39% of public Wi-Fi users have accessed sensitive information and 25% have logged into their online bank accounts while on public Wi-Fi
"The holiday season is a busy time for both online retailers and identity thieves alike, and we want to arm consumers with the tips they need to shop safely," said Kent Lawson, CEO of PRIVATE Wi-Fi. "With only a few simple changes, consumers can really protect themselves as they shop."
"Online and mobile shoppers should protect themselves against cyber threats, scams and identity theft during the holiday season, as well as all year long," said Michael Kaiser, executive director of the National Cyber Security Alliance. "But as shopping volumes increase this time of year, so do potential threats. The tips make consumers aware that it is important for them not to let their guard down."
Feel free to repost or share the infographic including the "5 Tips for Cyber Secure Shopping." If you want to ask our experts specific questions, join our Data Privacy Day Twitter chat from 2 to 3 p.m. CT on December 10, with participants DataPrivacyDay and PRIVATEWiFi, a Data Privacy Day Champion, answering questions using the hashtag ChatDPD.
About the National Cyber Security Alliance NCSA's mission is to educate and therefore empower a digital society to use the Internet safely and securely at home, work, and school, protecting the technology individuals use, the networks they connect to, and our shared digital assets.
About PRIVATE Wi-Fi PRIVATE Wi-Fi, Private Communications Corporation's flagship software offering, is a virtual private network (VPN) that encrypts all data across unsecure Wi-Fi networks, protecting users from the inherent threats - such as identify theft and hacking - that unencrypted public Wi-Fi poses. PRIVATE Wi-Fi is also the partner of choice for top companies in the security, privacy, cable, and telecommunications industries. The company stands for protecting personal data and will never collect users' private information to sell or otherwise share, which is a unique differentiator. For articles and other online privacy resources, please visit www.private-i.com.