Your Guide to Navigating
Safely in a Cyber World
Holiday lovers aren't the only ones who think this is the most wonderful time of the year. From Black Friday to Cyber Monday to every other day through the end of 2016, millions of shoppers will not only be hitting the mall but also their laptops, tablets and smartphones as they click, click, click items off their lists. This is music to the ears of cybercriminals. Last year, online orders on Cyber Monday alone exceeded $3 billion, an increase in e-commerce activity of nearly 18 percent from 2014.
Cybercrime -- which is any criminal activity that involves the Internet, a computer or computer technology -- has become an unwieldy epidemic that comes in many shapes and forms. And though it is hardly a seasonal problem, cybercrime is heightened during this time of year when an incomprehensible flurry of personal information is being transmitted electronically every second.
The following offers a primer of cybercrime activity and an array of tips for helping you protect yourself -- and your identity -- from the bad guys.