In a year like no other, it is likely that 2020’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals will be more frenzied than ever. With many industries, particularly retail, crippled by pandemic lockdowns and distancing restrictions, the upcoming weekend presents an opportunity to recoup some losses. The pandemic has accelerated the already growing increase in online shopping, with e-commerce sales expected to reach $4.2 trillion by the end of 2020 (Statista).

Although many physical stores will be closed or keeping the usual crowds of shoppers to a minimum – the online space will be just as jam-packed as ever with offers and sales. This makes it the perfect breeding ground for cyber-attacks and scams, from phishing emails to suspicious social media ads. For many, mobile devices have become the primary method for online shopping, so it is vital that consumers are protected across all technologies.

Here are ESET’s top five tips for what to watch out for and to stay safe this Black Friday and Cyber Monday:

1. Stick to what you know – If you see an offer in a promotional email or an online ad that seems too good to be true, then it probably is! Finding an item immediately from an unrecognized vendor with the best price can be a red flag. If you’re unsure about a website, then don’t click on the link – head separately to the website of the organization the sender is claiming to represent to find out if the offer is legitimate.
2.  Look-alikes and fake websites – Look for the padlock and, on a desktop device, the https:// at the beginning of the website address. These indicate that communication between you and the site is encrypted and any data you send can’t be seen by anyone intercepting the traffic.
3.  Dodgy incoming information – Suspicious texts with malicious links, elaborate phishing emails and fraudulent banking notifications are all techniques used by online scammers. In addition, be wary of threatening messages that try to get you to hand over sensitive information, such as bank details.
4.  Passwords and PINs – It can feel a bit like beating a dead horse, but strong, unique passwords are the foundation of a positive online shopping experience. Avoid creating accounts with retailers unless absolutely necessary, and make sure to use a secure payment method, like Apple Pay, Android Pay or PayPal, to avoid linking your primary bank account. You can also take this one step further and enable two-factor authentication where possible, adding an extra layer of security to your transactions.
5.  Software safety first – Keep your devices and operating systems uptodate, and have security software installed and fully operational on all devices. Software updates fix known vulnerabilities, so be sure to install them when prompted. Security software products, such as ESET Internet Security or ESET Mobile Security, include extra features, like Banking & Payment Protection, to keep you safe while shopping online, which can take the stress out of your shopping spree.

BRATISLAVA – For the second year in a row, ESET, a global leader in cybersecurity, has been recognized as a Major Player in mobile threat management in the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Mobile Threat Management Software 2020 Vendor Assessment (Doc #US46092220, September 2020).*

The assessment evaluates the enterprise market for mobile threat management software products, helping organizations to identify vendors with strong offerings and well-integrated business strategies.

According to the report, “ESET is strong in the areas of threat research, especially around Android malware identification and behavior detection.” As IDC further notes, “Organizations looking to consolidate security products and operations around a unified endpoint security model should also consider ESET for its broader portfolio of endpoint and security management tools on top of MTM.”

In 2020, mobile security has become a greater priority than ever before, as huge numbers of organizations have deployed large-scale remote working, while threat actors have increased their attempts exponentially. As they are separated from the office, more employees are using their mobile devices as a regular part of everyday work, and it is vital that these devices are protected. Businesses should ensure that all endpoints are secured with software such as ESET Endpoint Security for Android, which protects against a wide range of threats with its multilayered defense.

This is more than relevant today, as for many, a significant challenge in contending with mobile threats is managing all of the devices within an organization. As each employee may have multiple mobile devices, overseeing the software on each and every device can be a time-consuming task. However, offerings such as ESET Security Management Center** – which is automatically included in all ESET endpoint protection licenses – can streamline the process, providing a single pane of glass from which to manage all machines on a network.

Zuzana Legáthová, Analyst Relations Manager at ESET, commented: “As one of the IT industry’s most important vendor assessment tools, IDC MarketScape’s continued recognition of ESET as a Major Player is a great testament to the strength of ESET’s mobile security offerings. ESET’s improved performance compared to last year’s assessment is a confirmation of our ever-growing capabilities in the increasingly important space of mobile threat management software. Businesses across the globe can depend on ESET’s expertise to keep their devices safe and secure, and being named as a Major Player in Mobile Threat Management by IDC Marketscape is an important validation of this.”

* The first recognition was given in IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Mobile Threat Management Software 2018–2019 Vendor Assessment, Doc #US44521018, December 2018.

** will be renamed to ESET PROTECT