Los Angeles, Dec 2, 2019 (Issuewire.com) - Earlier today, Robert Katz, the pioneering Executive Director of the Cyber Science Institute, shared his seven safe cyber steps for protection against cyber-criminals. His simple cyber safeguards help shoppers survive the dangers of Cyber Monday.

As eagerly anticipated and exciting #CyberMonday might be for cyber-shoppers, it is even more so for cyber-criminals.  As stores deploy their best savings online to tempt willing buyers, the cyber-criminals likewise deploy their best scams online to tempt unwitting victims. In the $1.5 trillion cyber-crime industrial complexes, no matter the size of store savings, cyber-crooks always find good deals when surreptitiously shopping for fast funds or personal data.

As the cyber-criminals become more sophisticated in their attacks, so must the cyber-shopper in their own defense. In this cat-and-mouse numbers game, knowledge is indeed power.  Yet unfortunately, most consumers lack both.  For example, the Pew Research Center found that in a simple 10 question cybersecurity questionnaire, only 2% of the public answered all correctly.

The cyber-scammers anticipate another banner season and record year.  These thieves plan ahead. They, therefore, seek not only to scarf-up funds today, but also patiently pursue PII (personal identifying information) to tuck away for tomorrow.  This digital dumpster diving empowers them to later reverse engineer complete personal profiles to then launch full-up identity theft campaigns against consumers.

This year will see upticks in social-media, phishing-email, and domain-impersonation frauds, often spawned from enticing banner ads with hyper-hyped, quick-turnaround, limited-time offers.  Instead of mere swift swindles, the cyber-crooks also plant malware to harvest consumer information well after the holiday season.

Robert Katz, the Founder and Executive Director of the World Innovation Network (WIN), and its Cyber Science Institute, has been called up onto protecting programs, people, products, and processes for NASA, FBI, DoD, USAF, Lockheed-Martin, as well as over 360 other major organizations and enterprises, both domestically and internationally.  From his ground-breaking work in WIN, founded in 1988 as the first global non-profit cyber and innovation NGO, he has structured these core #7CyberSins for shoppers to not commit.

When shopping online this #CyberMonday, and throughout the year, avoid the #7CyberSins by following these simple #SafeCyberSteps.

Keep Off Public WiFi

Ensure Secure "https" Connections

Present Credit, not Debit Cards, or Limited-Use "Burner" Cards

Create Fresh, Strong Passwords and Non-Obvious Usernames

Decline Downloads and Browser Extensions

Ditch Emails from Unknown Senders and Links to Unfamiliar Domains

Skip Requests for Personal Info, such as Social Security Numbers

Above all- if a deal seems too good to be true - it is. Cyber-criminals play the numbers game, and the numbers are on their side - not the shoppers.

Do not allow #CyberMonday to be your #CyberDoomsDay - Practice #SafeCyber and enjoy a #SafeCyberMonday.

Robert Katz is available for immediate on-air live or recorded interviews, analysis, and commentary.

About Robert Katz

Robert Katz is the Executive Director at the Cyber Science Institute, part of the global non-profit NGO he founded in 1988 as the World Innovation Network (WIN). There he and his international interdisciplinary partners proudly collaborate to enhance the posture of cybersecurity, national security, personal security, and, ultimately, community security for the U.S. and its global allies.

Media Contact

Robert Katz

rsk@win.ngo

http://win.ngo