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Vasco Data Security Offers Christmas Online Shopping Advice(Wireless News Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Vasco Data Security International, a software security company specializing in authentication products, said that it is helping consumers to mitigate against cyber-crime in the build-up to the festive season, by providing advice on how to stay safe when shopping online. According to the company, research from various industry sources indicates that online shopping will be increasingly popular this year. With consumers conscious of the current economic climate, many are looking for the best deals online, which, combined with online transaction processes, will drive more Christmas shoppers to buy via the online channel. To help consumers avoid the potential pitfalls of online shopping, Vasco advises that they should: -- Buy from a trusted website: Are you buying from a trusted brand? Can you tell where the company you are buying from is based? Does the site provide you with contact details or an after sales service number? Are sale conditions available and printable? Do other online shoppers recommend this site? -- Make sure that they buy trusted products: Is the product legal in your country? Are you sure it is not a counterfeit product? Do you have sufficient information about the product? And is the product traceable? -- Make sure that their personal details are protected: Before you validate a transaction, or verify your personal details, make sure you know how your personal details will be used (promotional purposes from the website, shared with related third parties and so on). -- Make sure that online payments are done in a secure environment: Use secure and trusted payment systems such as Digipass authentication to prevent fraudsters from accessing your personal and financial details. According to Interactive Media in Retail Group and CapGemini, online Christmas shopping in the UK will increase by 15 percent during the 2008 festive season. Shoppers will on average spend 215 pounds Sterling online during the holiday season. In France, online sales increased by 30 percent during the first quarter of 2008 (Fevad) and two out of five people in France buy online. In Brazil, 12 million people are estimated to shop online in 2008 (e-bit), and the revenues from online shopping are estimated to increase by 35 percent. The most popular Christmas magazines (16 percent), IT gadgets (13 percent), mobile phones (11 percent), DVDs and CDs (11 percent). In the US, Forrester predicts that online retail sales will grow by 12 percent during the holiday season. A trend identified by the ISACA (Information Systems Auditing and Control Association) indicates that the majority of the online Christmas shoppers will do their shopping from work. Although companies usually condone online personal activity during work hours, few are actually aware of the negative impact it might have on their business. The threat for companies usually comes after employees have visited malicious sites, thus exposing the company's network to malware, bots, phishing attempts and an increased exposure of the e-mail server to spam, the company said. "When you provide your personal data on a website, such as your credit card details, there is always a risk that this information could be intercepted by criminals who want to misuse the information for their personal benefit. As the specialist in securing online transactions, it is Vasco's ongoing responsibility to educate consumers on the risks of conducting transactions on line, and help them to mitigate those risks. With the expected increase of online sales during the holiday season, this is as good a time as any to remind consumers to be extra vigilant, and for Vasco to pro-actively provide them with advice about how to ensure their online Christmas shopping is conducted safely and securely," said Jan Valcke, President and COO of Vasco Data Security. ((Comments on this story may be sent to [email protected])) ((Distributed on behalf of 10Meters via M2 Communications Ltd - http://www.m2.com)) ((10Meters - http://www.10meters.com)) Copyright ? 2008 Wireless News |