Cyber Monday was born in 2005 as a continuation of the long shopping weekend that begins with Black Friday. Black Friday, named after Thanksgiving Day, was originally intended for sales and purchases in physical stores, while “Cyber Monday” was for online stores and e-commerce platforms.
According to a new report by her Adobe Analytics, Cyber Monday on USA is expected to remain the biggest shopping day of the year, driving an impressive $11,2 billion in US spending, up 5,1% from last year, compared to just 1% growth for Black Friday sales.
Today both dates are practically the same and have no differentiation, not only in terms of markets and numbers, but also the cyber attacks they receive and which are related to these "market" days. With last year's supply chain issues resolved, Cyber Monday sales and participation are expected to grow exponentially as shoppers flock online to look for deals. It is worth noting that online retailers have already started advertising their offers for that day, weeks before the 28η November. The exhibition Webloyalty's Black Friday 2022 report shows that this year both purchases and spending on both days will increase. 11% increase in sales and an average spend of €155 (5% more than 2021), a great opportunity for cybercriminals to indulge in what they do best.
Η Check Point® Software Technologies Ltd., a leading provider specializing in cyberbetter safety worldwide, wants to sensitize potential buyers to be careful with their "strolls" online and shopping for amazing deals on that particular day.
Taking as an example Check Point Software's recent data on Amazon Prime Day, we can see how both the number of pages related to the term “amazon” and phishing attacks using this company as bait have increased. Almost 1.900 websites related to Amazon were created and 10% of them were fraudulent. Suffice it to say that last year alone, in the days leading up to Black Friday, there was a 178% increase in malicious online stores worldwide.
And it's not just websites that you should be wary of, phishing attempts are also on the rise these days. Just this week, Check Point Software released a report on malware in the 3rd quarter, which reflects how parcel delivery and courier companies are used to impersonate fraudsters and carry out phishing attacks. DHL holds the top spot on this list. The event is closely related to Cyber Monday, as many of the purchases are made online and delivered with courier companies, making it more likely that a shopper will be defrauded.
In order for consumers to take the necessary precautions when purchasing their favorite products, Check Point Software offers a series of tips to stay safe while participating in this shopping season and when shopping in Cyber Monday e-shopping carts:
- Always buy from a genuine and trusted source: the ideal is to search in the search engine we use for the link of the store from which we want to buy the product. Clicking on a link you receive for potential purchases via email without knowing its source could potentially be very dangerous.
- Be on the lookout for similar ones domains: it is very important to give caution on the links and domains of the websites we enter. Spelling errors or misspelled names are a clue as to which pages are genuine and which are set up to scam you.
- Deals that seem too good to be true are actually too good to be true: check several websites to see if the offer is real or not. An unusual discount on a product in high demand could be a clear indication that it is a scam.
- Always look for the lock: The websites that have HTTPS instead of HHTP are the safe and authentic websites. Especially those who have a lock in front of them to stand out from the others. We should only enter them, since they are the ones that comply with international safety standards.
- Have endpoint security solutions: You should have security solutions for your email as well. With this measure, many cyber attacks and information leaks can be prevented.
- Always be on the lookout for password reset emails: especially when the volume of online traffic is at its peak, as it is on Cyber Monday. If you receive an unsolicited password reset email, visit always, site directly (never click on links) and change it code your access.
