How to Defend Against Thanksgiving and Black Friday Online Cyber Attacks

As the holiday shopping season kicks off, two of the most anticipated events for online retailers and shoppers alike are Thanksgiving and Black Friday. During this time, millions of consumers flock to online stores to take advantage of exclusive deals, creating a prime opportunity for cybercriminals to launch various online attacks. Cyber threats such as phishing, credential stuffing, DDoS attacks, and payment fraud surge during these high-traffic periods. Therefore, both consumers and businesses need to be extra vigilant to avoid falling victim to cybercriminals.

Here are several strategies to protect yourself and your organization from online cyber attacks during Thanksgiving and Black Friday:

1. Implement Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

One of the simplest and most effective ways to secure accounts is by enabling Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA). MFA adds an extra layer of protection by requiring users to provide two or more forms of verification before gaining access to their accounts. This may include something the user knows (a password), something the user has (a smartphone app or hardware token), or something the user is (fingerprint or face recognition).

For businesses, encouraging customers to use MFA on accounts where it’s available can pre-vent unauthorized access to personal information and payment details. Consumers should also ensure MFA is activated on their online retail accounts, especially for those with saved pay-ment methods.

2. Use Strong, Unique Passwords

One of the primary entry points for hackers during the holiday season is weak or reused pass-words. During high-stakes shopping events, credential stuffing attacks—where cybercriminals use stolen usernames and passwords from data breaches to gain access to multiple accounts—become more common.

To protect against these types of attacks, both consumers and businesses should implement a strong password policy. Passwords should be long, complex, and unique for each account. Avoid using easily guessable information like birthdays or common words, and consider using a password manager to generate and store complex passwords securely.

3. Monitor for Phishing and Scam Emails

Phishing attacks are prevalent during high-traffic shopping periods like Black Friday and Thanksgiving. Cybercriminals take advantage of consumers’ excitement and the urgency of limited-time offers by sending fraudulent emails that appear to come from legitimate online retailers. These emails often include malicious links or attachments designed to steal person-al information or infect devices with malware.

What to watch for:
•    Suspicious email addresses or links that don’t match the official retailer’s domain.
•    Emails offering unbelievable deals that sound too good to be true.
•    Urgent requests to click links, provide sensitive information, or update payment methods.

To defend against phishing attacks:
•    Verify the sender’s email address carefully.
•    Avoid clicking on links in unsolicited emails. Always visit the official website directly.
•    Be cautious about email attachments, especially from unknown senders.
•    Educate employees and customers about the dangers of phishing through training and awareness campaigns.

4. Secure Your Website with HTTPS and SSL Encryption

For businesses, securing your website is critical during high-traffic periods. Cybercriminals may try to intercept customer transactions or perform man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks when browsing unsecured websites.

Ensure that your website uses HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) and has a valid SSL (Secure Socket Layer) certificate. This encrypts the communication between users’ browsers and your server, helping protect sensitive data like credit card information from pry-ing eyes.

Consumers should always ensure they’re shopping on secure websites by looking for the pad-lock symbol in the browser’s address bar and verifying the URL starts with “https://” rather than “http://.”

5. Keep Software and Systems Updated

Regular software updates are a key part of maintaining a secure online environment. Attackers often exploit known vulnerabilities in outdated software, plugins, and devices. During busy shopping seasons, it’s even more important to stay up-to-date with security patches for operating systems, apps, and security software.

• For businesses: Ensure your online store, payment gateways, and any third-party ser-vices you use are updated with the latest security patches. Also, verify that your servers and network equipment are protected with firewalls and the latest antivirus software.

• For consumers: Keep your device operating systems, web browsers, and apps updated to minimize the risk of encountering security flaws.

6. Implement Fraud Detection Systems

Retailers and e-commerce businesses should be proactive in setting up fraud detection and prevention systems to identify suspicious transactions. This can include:

• Transaction monitoring to spot unusual activity, such as multiple purchases from the same IP address in a short period.

• Device fingerprinting to detect the same device trying to access multiple accounts.

• Real-time alerts to notify businesses of potential fraud, enabling a swift response to mitigate risks.

On the consumer side, be cautious about sharing payment details or using unfamiliar payment methods that may not offer fraud protection. Consider using virtual credit cards or services like PayPal that offer an extra layer of security and are more likely to provide recourse in the case of fraudulent charges.

7. Be Aware of Social Media Scams

Cybercriminals often use social media platforms to promote fake Black Friday deals and Thanksgiving offers. These scams can appear as too-good-to-be-true discounts, limited-edition products, or fake giveaways, all designed to steal your personal information.

• Verify the legitimacy of promotional offers through official retailer channels before providing any personal details.

• Be cautious about clicking links from unsolicited messages or social media ads.

• Follow retailers’ official pages for updates and deals.

8. Prepare for DDoS Attacks

Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks are common during busy shopping days, as cybercriminals attempt to overwhelm websites with traffic, causing service disruptions. To safe-guard against DDoS attacks:

• Use DDoS protection services to absorb malicious traffic before it reaches your servers.

• Distribute your network traffic across multiple servers or data centers to minimize the impact of an attack.

• Monitor server load in real-time to identify unusual traffic patterns.

9. Educate Customers and Employees

Finally, educating both employees and customers about potential cyber threats is a crucial step in preventing cyber attacks. For businesses:

• Train employees on identifying phishing emails, handling sensitive data securely, and maintaining strong security practices.

• Provide customers with tips on how to shop safely online, such as using strong pass-words and verifying the security of websites.

For consumers, spreading awareness about common holiday scams, fraud tactics, and the im-portance of using secure payment methods can significantly reduce the risk of falling victim to online attacks.

Conclusion

Thanksgiving and Black Friday are major events for online retailers, but they also attract a sig-nificant uptick in cyberattacks. From phishing and credential stuffing to DDoS attacks and payment fraud, online threats are more sophisticated than ever. By following these defensive measures—such as enabling multi-factor authentication, using strong passwords, securing web-sites, and staying vigilant for phishing attacks—both consumers and businesses can reduce their risk and enjoy a safer holiday shopping experience. In the fast-paced environment of online shopping, cybersecurity awareness is key to ensuring that the only thing you’re shopping for this season is great deals, not a costly cyberattack.