How to secure your digital transactions

How to secure your digital transactions by Abhijit Ahaskar.  Available from <http://www.livemint.com/Leisure/eAqnDAFMqB4Vfxe7yyOfgO/How-to-secure-your-digital-transactions.html> [Last Modified: Mon, Dec 19 2016. 06 16 PM IST]

Demonetisation and the subsequent cash crunch has compelled people to use their debit or credit cards. Many are using payment wallets such as FreeCharge and Paytm to avoid using their cards all the time. Many of these first-time users are not fully aware of what is secure and what is not. This makes them an easy prey for hackers and people with malicious intent. According to Norton’s Cyber Security Insights Report (published in November 2016), 55% of users born between 1980 and 2000 have been victims of cyber crime.

Here are some tips that you can keep in mind if you are using one of the digital platforms for making your next cash transaction.

Be more cautious with public WiFi networks

Easy and fast access to internet through public WiFi networks such as at railway stations, airports and coffee shops attracts many users. Users need to keep a few things in mind before connecting to any public WiFi network. One of them is to make sure you know the right SSID (service set identifier) name of the WiFi network you are connecting to. Hackers often set up WiFi network with almost similar SSID names making users believe that there are two such networks and they can connect to any of them. Any communication made using such dubious networks will be at risk of malicious activity. It is safer to avoid WiFi networks that are not protected by a password.

Use VPN

Using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) not just sidesteps geographical restrictions on online content but can also add a layer of security to your online communications. It is widely used as a tool to secure web browsing sessions by enterprise as well as individual users. You can add a VPN on your smartphone or your WiFi network at home. For a smartphone, you will have to downloaded and install a VPN app. Most VPN apps charge a monthly subscription, while some like Opera VPN are completely free to use. Deploying a VPN in wireless router will transmit all online communication through an encrypted tunnel created by the VPN.

Use OTP during transactions

During online transactions made using a credit or debit card, banks ask users to enter their 3D secure PIN (personal identification number) or request for an OTP (one-time password). Using the latter will prompt the bank to send a six-digit number through a text message on the user’s registered mobile number. This is a unique number and is generated only for one transaction. Using a 3D secure PIN on a public WiFi can be risky. Paying through an OTP is still a safer option.

Identify secure webpages

Most websites rely on certain security protocols such as HTTPS (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure) to protect users and keep their transactions secure. These websites can be identified with a green sticker and through the browser url, where the link address will start with https instead of http or www.

Alternative to online transactions—Use NUPP for transaction

Another way of bypassing the risk of online fraud during transactions is using National Unified USSD Platform (NUPP) for sending money directly to the other person’s bank account. NUPP is based on USSD (Unstructured Supplementary Service Data) technology which uses GSM networks for communication with the user and the bank and this makes it free from the risk of online hacking. To use it, dial *99# in your phone and enter and type the three letters used to identify your bank or the IFSC (Indian Financial System Code) of your bank in the next pop-up page. This will open another page with options to pay using MMID (Mobile Money Identification Number) or IFSC.

If you are paying through MMID, enter the seven-digit MMID code and the beneficiary’s mobile number. In case you are using the IFSC, enter the IFSC code and the bank account number of the beneficiary and the amount that you are paying. To complete the transaction, you will be asked to enter your four-digit mobile banking PIN number issued by your bank. For every transaction, users will be charged a nominal fee of 50 paise.

How to secure your digital transactions by Abhijit Ahaskar.  Available from <http://www.livemint.com/Leisure/eAqnDAFMqB4Vfxe7yyOfgO/How-to-secure-your-digital-transactions.html> [Last Modified: Mon, Dec 19 2016. 06 16 PM IST]

Top 12 Tips for staying safe online

Top 12 Tips for staying safe online by Kuwait Times.  Available from <https://www.zawya.com/mena/en/story/Top_twelve_tips_for_staying_safe_online-ZAWYA20161215052009/> [14 December 2016]

As the popularity of online shopping increases in Kuwait, so does the likelihood of falling foul of cyber crooks, not necessarily because they are putting in extra effort during the festive season, but simply because more of us are doing more online shopping at this time of the year, and we’re on the lookout for the hottest deals.

Sophos has put together the following cyber security tips to help you focus on family, food and fun over during this season, rather than dealing with the headache of stolen credit card details or important documents lost to ransom ware.

1) Clean up your passwords before you start shopping
Don’t use the same password on more than one website. If the crooks get one password, they’ll immediately try it on all your other accounts. Make your passwords as long and complex as you can; in fact, consider using a password manager, which will come up with a unique password for each website automatically.

2) Update your devices
When patches come out, most of them fix security holes that the crooks either already know about or will find out about soon. Don’t put off security updates because “later will be fine”. Follow our advice: patch early, patch often.

3) Back up your files
Whether you’re taking your laptop on holiday, or staying at home with your faithful desktop this festive season, don’t forget to back up your precious documents on all of your devices. That way if your files are lost, stolen, “reconfigured” by a teenaged “expert”, or, worst of all, held for extortion by ransom ware, you can still get your data back.

4) Watch out for booby-trapped ATMs when shopping on the High Street
Watch out for modified ATMs when you withdraw money. Crooks often glue fake parts onto or around ATMs in the hope of covertly reading both your card data and your PIN. If you see an ATM with any components that look as though they don’t belong, report it to the bank and the police. That way you protect yourself and everyone else too.

5) Beware of login links in emails
With so many emails flying around over the festive shopping period, it’s a popular time for cyber crooks to use fake ‘phishing’ emails to trick you into handing over personal data. When an email urges you to click on a link to login to your account and change your password, or some similar sort of subterfuge, it’s probably crooks trying to trick you onto a fake site that will look exactly like the real thing, except that the crooks get your password, not the real website. If you want to check a transaction on one of your accounts, open your browser and browse to the website yourself.

6) Look for the padlock in the URL bar when shopping online
A padlock in the address bar and a URL that starts with “HTTPS” means the website uses an encrypted or secure connection. All major websites, not just financial institutions, use HTTPS these days, so if you see a site that’s asking for personal information but doesn’t have the padlock, you can be sure it’s a fake.

7) Watch out for bogus courier emails
During this time, you may very well get products delivered to your home, so you’ll be expecting a visit from a courier company. Crooks know this and send fake emails about bogus delivery problems, hoping to draw you into their web. If you want to contact a courier company to check on a delivery, look up their phone number or email address yourself – don’t use any links or information from an email.

8) Don’t email your credit card details
Sometimes you’ll try to buy that special gift , but your credit card won’t go through. In perfectly good faith, the seller may ask you to email through your card details to try again later. But that email could end up in the hands of cyber crooks, even if the seller handles it with care once they’ve received it. Remember: if in doubt, don’t give it out!

9) Turn off Flash on your devices
Want to do one single, simple thing to improve your security, now and forever? Turn off Flash, or uninstall it altogether if you can. Booby-trapped Flash files are still a popular way of spreading malware, and with fewer and fewer sites actually requiring Flash, it’s safer to do without it altogether.

10) Change default passwords before using any new home video devices
Whether it’s a new baby monitor, home surveillance system, or any other internet-enabled camera, it probably has a default password. If you don’t change the password then you are making it easy for a cybercriminal to hack in and watch whatever you’re filming. That could be you, your house, your baby, or something else that you’d prefer to keep away from prying eyes.

11) Think before you share on social media
Maybe it sounds obvious, but over sharing on social media is a bad idea, and there is no better time to remind you of this than the party season. Whether it’s photos of other people, your credit card details, the fact that you’re holding a really amazing party on Friday night or anything else, stop and think before you share. Once you post it, you’ll never be able to take it back.

12) Upgrade the software on any new devices before using them
Even “new” computers and hardware devices usually need updates right away. After all, between when they were made and when you first use them, the crooks have had time to find new security holes to attack. If you want to protect your new devices, always patch before using them, even if it’s Christmas Day and you’re dying to try out your brand new present.

Finally, make sure your computers at home are secure. Sophos Home is free and allows you to protect up to 10 Windows and Mac computers from malware, ransom ware, phishing and more. You can have different settings for adults and kids, and the web filter lets you block ads. It’s an easy-to-use solution that takes minutes to download and get started. And remember, when 2017 comes around, all of these tips will still be valid. In other words, as much as we’re urging you not to let your computer security guard down over the festive season, we’re also encouraging you to keep your security guard up every day. Cyber security is for life, not just for this season.

Top 12 Tips for staying safe online by Kuwait Times.  Available from <https://www.zawya.com/mena/en/story/Top_twelve_tips_for_staying_safe_online-ZAWYA20161215052009/> [14 December 2016]

Safety Tips For Online Shopping

Safety Tips For Online Shopping.  Available from <http://asianetindia.com/safety-tips-for-online-shopping/> [December 07, 2016]

E-commerce or shopping online provides a exit. Given the near universal accessibility to Internet connectivity, consumers save your time and efforts by internet shopping. More and more merchants are realising the enormous potential from the medium of Internet and therefore are gearing up to present products and services.As the potential of internet shopping is being grasped, the potential for loss are going up too, particularly for consumers. Sadly, many online shoppers disregard the pitfalls , nor follow even minimum risk protection norms. If anything, buying online frauds tend to be more dangerous, because in the event the security is breached, fraudsters can siphon off a lot of cash without the victim realising it.Here are some safety tips for online shopping.

Safety tips for online shopping are:

1.Link Of A Website: Avoid gonna an shopping online site by having a link or pop-ups, howsoever interesting the offers are. Always type the web page address into your address bar. Be wary of tempting offers, because they may be from fraudsters who’ve created a fake site.

2. Look For The Image Of A Lock At The Bottom Right Corner: To make sure your site is safe, search for the image of the closed now you should the browser window. Click on the icon and be sure the security certification is displayed. You are prone to identity theft when you’re entering your details on a spoofed site.

3.Check Privacy Policy: Are you sure the seller of your website the place you have given personal details isn’t sharing them others for cash? Check the Privacy Policy on the website to ensure that what the property owner will and won’t do with specifics about you.

4.Be Wary Of e-mails: You may get an e-mail that looks like it is from the vendor that you have shopped online. You could be asked for your very own information to “verify” the accounts or “clear-up” errors which may have occurred. Before responding, reconfirm with the vendor. Call up and ensure if necessary, or send a mail and act only as soon as you get a response.

5.Secured Programs: If the purchases are by having a debit or debit card, then make certain that you sign-up for that “verified by VISA” and/or “Master secured code program(s)”. Each transaction will be authorised only by you.

6.Anti-Spyware/Trojan Software: Make without doubt the latest version of antivirus, anti-spyware or anti-Trojan programs were installed on your PC or laptop and they are regularly updated.

These are the safety tips for online shopping.

Safety Tips For Online Shopping.  Available from <http://asianetindia.com/safety-tips-for-online-shopping/> [December 07, 2016]

Tips to Stay Safe while Online Shopping

Tips to Stay Safe while Online Shopping by  Andrea Henderson, Multimedia Video Journalist.  Available from <http://www.hometownstations.com/story/33707351/tips-to-stay-safe-while-online-shopping> [Posted: Nov 15, 2016 7:27 AM]
 

Holiday shopping is already on the minds of many people. Some will be hitting the stores to cross things off their shopping lists. Others prefer to find the seasonal bargains from the comfort of their homes.

Americans on average are expected to spend about 908 dollars this season, an 8 percent increase from last year. The national retail federation shows 57 percent of consumers plan to buy gifts online this holiday season. The scary thing though — Americans lost over 800 million dollars to cyber theft in 2014 alone.

“When you’re doing online shopping, a couple things you need to watch out for, make sure you’re on a secure site, that you know the site that you’re on. You need to check that you’re on a site that has ‘HTTPS” in the address bar, and also there should be a little lock in that address bar too,” Cheryl Parson, President at the Better Business Bureau of West Central Ohio, said.

To protect yourself from online fraud, Parson says there are some additional things you can do: make sure to Use a credit card, track your online transactions for any red flags, and double check the web address to make sure it’s not trying to imitate a popular site like Amazon.

“There’s another out there that is not really Amazon, but it looks like it. People are using sites that you think you are on the right site, the name’s similar and everything, but it’s not the correct site,” Parson said.

If you realize you’ve been a victim of online fraud, contact your credit card company right away, and you can also report it to the Better Business Bureau for additional help.

Tips to Stay Safe while Online Shopping by  Andrea Henderson, Multimedia Video Journalist.  Available from <http://www.hometownstations.com/story/33707351/tips-to-stay-safe-while-online-shopping> [Posted: Nov 15, 2016 7:27 AM]

Tips On How to Solve the Shopping Cart Abandonment Puzzle

Tips On How to Solve the Shopping Cart Abandonment Puzzle by Lucy Maher.  Available from <http://paymentweek.com/2016-11-14-tips-on-how-to-solve-the-shopping-cart-abandonment-puzzle-11984/> [Nov 14, 2016]

You can design your website to be mobile-friendly, engage the right search engine optimization (SEO) strategy to attract eyeballs, and create compelling content to engage visiting consumers.

But if your checkout process has inefficiencies, you could potentially lose sales from customers who abandon their shopping cart – an outcome that is more common than one may think, and for reasons that could easily be avoidable.

“Shopping cart abandonment can happen simply because the retailer didn’t accept the customer’s form of payment,” said Keith Wilson, Head of Integrated Payments at Discover Global Network. “In a case like that, I’d advise retailers that when building out their e-commerce platform, make sure they’re connected with an acquirer and/or gateway that specializes in mobile and web payment systems to ensure they’re given as many payment options as possible. Solving for customer pain points can help to keep quality of the checkout experience high, and shopping cart abandonment low.”

Just how often are shopping carts left full without purchase? According to the Baymard Institute, an ecommerce usability research institute, 68.81 percent of online shopping carts are abandoned. The most common reasons? Everything from slow load times and unclear return policies, to a “too-lengthy” checkout process and difficult to find coupon codes[1].

Indeed, “there are many components along the digital shopping journey that are broken and create opportunities for cart abandonment,” says Jordan McKee, senior analyst, mobile payments, at 451 Research. “When solving for cart abandonment, retailers should let simplicity, immediacy and context serve as their guiding principles.”[2]

Invest In Digital Wallets

Time-consuming forms and the requirement to key in payment card credentials create plenty of chances for the prospective buyer to leave the site and perhaps never to return again. Some retailers are addressing this issue by implementing digital wallets that streamline the checkout process and remove elements of friction.

Craig L. Aberle, Publisher of pointsofsale.com, raises a good point.

“If I’m 55 and trying to buy something on my iPhone, can I simply check out with Paypal in one or two clicks, or, must I struggle with my reading glasses and enter a credit card number, address and all kinds of information?” he asks. “That is a real problem for me, as an older consumer. Also, if I am sitting in a public place, and I don’t want to take my credit card out of my wallet—I will not make a purchase. Think about adding Apple Pay, Android Pay, Samsung Pay, or Paypal to your check out page.”

Install a Progress Indicator

Once potential customers have selected their products and placed them in their online shopping cart, they want to know how long the checkout process is and at what stage they are in.

While there are ways to streamline the process—including relying on digital wallets to cut down on the number of steps—a simple way to keep consumers abreast of their progress is to clearly spell it out for them with a progress indicator. This feature highlights the customer’s place in the checkout journey and how many steps there will be until they are finished.

Understand the Importance of Mobile Design

“Many retailers are also losing sales due to their lack of responsive design on mobile sites,” says McKee. “That’s because mobile is becoming the de-facto platform for commerce, yet not all retailers have optimized their e-commerce sites for this transition, creating a poor user experience[3].”

Indeed, perhaps nothing irks a customer more than going to a brand site on their mobile phone and having to pinch and scroll because the site is designed purely for those visiting on a desktop or laptop.

Instead, “forward-thinking retailers should increasingly think mobile-first to ensure they are providing experiences consistent with their shoppers’ browsing behaviors,”[4] he says. This means hiring a web design firm to design your site for use on both a computer and smartphone or tablet.

Rely On Thumbnails to Keep Consumers Interested

With so many opportunities to abandon their carts, providing thumbnails — or small photos about the size of a postage stamp — of a user’s intended purchases throughout the checkout process could be one way to keep them wanting to complete their transaction. Think about it: when you shop in a brick and mortar store, you keep your intended purchases with you. Why would they disappear during the mobile shopping experience?

“E-tailers and retailers should be careful to use smaller sized graphics that load quickly on mobile devices,” says Aberle.

Follow these rules of thumb and you could be spending less time wondering why your customers aren’t hitting “confirm purchase” and more time counting a potential increase in sales.

Tips On How to Solve the Shopping Cart Abandonment Puzzle by Lucy Maher.  Available from <http://paymentweek.com/2016-11-14-tips-on-how-to-solve-the-shopping-cart-abandonment-puzzle-11984/> [Nov 14, 2016]