Ignoring Red Flags

As the holiday season ramps up, time-strapped users will inevitably be less discriminating about where they go to shop for the hottest holiday gifts. In fact, attackers are banking on the fact that holiday shoppers will be so rushed they will ignore obvious red flags -- like the absence of a padlock icon on a Web page -- in an effort to get affordable prices or a scarce holiday item.

Tip: First, look for that little padlock icon in the bottom right hand corner of the screen to verify the site is secure in order to send credit card and password information. Also, check to see if the site or URL is from an established merchant, or better yet, go directly to a trusted site -- even if it means you have to pay a little more or wait a little longer. Often attackers will change the URL of a familiar site with by altering or adding one letter (e.g. ebays.com) in hopes that potential victims won't notice.