BitDefender offers tips for safe online holiday shopping
December 2009
IT in Manufacturing
What every savvy shopper in pursuit of online deals should know before entering a credit card number.
It is that time of year again. The holidays are coming up, and it is time to shop! BitDefender, an award-winning provider of innovative anti-malware security solutions, offers up some simple tips to help consumers protect themselves from online scammers this holiday season.
“Taking advantage of the many benefits of online shopping like competitive pricing, great selection, or even freebies like zero shipping fees and free gift wrapping, does not have to cost consumers more than they have bargained for,” said Catalin Cosoi, BitDefender’s senior antispam researcher. “By being aware of a few key issues, consumers can shop safely with the knowledge they need to protect their personal information and their PC.”
The following tips include suggestions to consider before shopping online this holiday season and throughout the New Year:
Know where you are shopping and read the fine print. Not every website and online shop is a safe and reputable merchant! The truth is many thieves are quite skilled at crafting very convincing, legitimate-looking online shopping sites. Be very careful who you purchase from.
If the merchant wants more than your name and e-mail address in order to cash in that coupon, beware. A common phishing tactic targeting online shoppers utilises online promotions and sales to entice a consumer to enter personal information in order to receive coupons or other merchandise. While many reputable sites offer coupons or samples, they will never ask for excessive amounts of personal information to redeem them, most only require a name and e-mail address.
Additionally:
* Always shop from a secure PC with a good security suite installed.
* Try to stick to the known and trusted sites.
* Be wary of 'great gift' or 'special offer' e-mails from unknown addresses, it is likely fake and should be avoided.
* Use credit cards instead of debit cards. Debit cards offer a lower liability in case you are the victim of fraud.
* Check for security seals on all shopping sites.
* Make sure that the connection to the website is an http. This does not guarantee safety, but in most cases these sites are safe.
* Consider alternative ways of payment, such as cash upon delivery.
For more information contact Alina Anton, senior PR and marketing coordinator, EMEA & APAC Business Unit, Bitdefender, +40 212 063 470, [email protected], www.bitdefender.com
Further reading:
Addressing the cooling needs of the modern data centre
Schneider Electric South Africa
IT in Manufacturing
The rise in hardware density in data centres is gaining speed and is largely driven by the demands of artificial intelligence and machine learning, requiring more powerful servers and specialised hardware.
Read more...
South Africa’s next cyber security frontier
IT in Manufacturing
AI-powered agents are rapidly transforming how South African businesses operate, from chatbots managing customer inquiries to automated systems processing financial transactions. While these AI-driven assistants increase efficiency and reduce operational costs, they also present a new, and often underestimated, cybersecurity challenge: identity management.
Read more...
Bombardier expands adoption of Siemens Xcelerator for aircraft developmen
Siemens South Africa
IT in Manufacturing
Bombardier has expanded its adoption of the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio of industry software for aircraft development.
Read more...
The DeepSeek effect: navigating AI’s new frontier
IT in Manufacturing
DeepSeek has emerged as a game-changer in artificial intelligence, offering a robust platform redefining how businesses approach AI integration. This change is especially important since it opens up AI to a wider range of organisations, including small and medium-sized enterprises that could have previously been priced out of the market.
Read more...
Automation, is it 2049 already?
Schneider Electric South Africa
IT in Manufacturing
It would come as no surprise that AI and ML are at the forefront of the increased efficiency movement, and are vital cogs in this sophisticated automated machine. A development that is extremely exciting, is autonomous systems.
Read more...
Agentic AI: are we building castles on quicksand?
IT in Manufacturing
Artificial Intelligence is in a strange spot. With the explosion of AI tools and applications, we find ourselves teetering between two inseparable yet intertwined paths – the promise of extraordinary capability and the peril of unmitigated risk.
Read more...
There’s a reason the A stands for Advanced in APC
Schneider Electric South Africa
IT in Manufacturing
Today’s mineral processing companies face almost universal challenges, efficiently managing resources and high energy consumption, environmental compliance, barriers to technological adoption and the perpetual shortage of skilled labour. While there’s no miracle intervention, there are undoubtedly solutions that improve the above, and one is Advanced Process Control.
Read more...
Digital twins in manufacturing
Schneider Electric South Africa
IT in Manufacturing
Digital twin technology can help create better products, fast. It can transform the work of product development too.
Read more...
New generative AI-powered maintenance offering
Siemens South Africa
IT in Manufacturing
The Siemens Industrial Copilot is revolutionising industry by enabling customers to leverage generative AI across the entire value chain – from design and planning to engineering, operations and services.
Read more...
Building resilience in extreme environments
ACTOM Electrical Machines
IT in Manufacturing
Extreme temperatures, corrosive substances and high pressures are just a few of the elements that make up the unforgiving operational environments characteristic of the petrochemical and oil and gas sectors. A proactive and nuanced approach to industrial maintenance is no longer optional for organisations, it is an absolute necessity to avoid disruptions and create the right conditions for success.
Read more...
printer friendly version