The glow of holiday lights, the smell of baking cookies, and the rush of finding the perfect gift—it’s the most wonderful time of the year. For retailers, it’s a boom; for cybercriminals, it’s also peak season.
With billions of dollars exchanged in a short, high-stress window spanning Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the final weeks before Christmas, hackers and scammers are relentlessly targeting shoppers. They know you are distracted, clicking unfamiliar links, and using credit cards more frequently than usual.
At Empire Fiber Internet, also known as Empire Access, we provide the fast, reliable connection you need for seamless shopping and streaming. But speed is nothing without security. We believe that protecting your online experience is just as important as delivering the data.
This year, before you hit “checkout,” use our comprehensive Cyber Safety Checklist—5 crucial steps every shopper must take to protect their financial health, sensitive data, and overall identity while navigating the busy waters of holiday online safety.
1. Implement Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) Everywhere Possible
The Threat: The Stolen Password
A password breach is inevitable. Over 80% of data breaches involve compromised passwords. If a site you used five years ago suffers a breach, and you used the same password for your Amazon or bank account, a hacker has instant access to your funds and identity.
The Fix: Your Digital Deadbolt
Two-Factor Authentication (2FA), also called Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), is the simplest, most powerful defense against credential theft. It ensures that even if a hacker has your password, they can’t log in without a second, temporary code.
🛡️ Cyber Safety Checklist Action:
Turn it ON: Go into the security settings of all high-value accounts—email (Gmail, Outlook), banking, major retailers (Amazon, PayPal), and payment services. Switch 2FA from “Off” to “On.”
Use an App: Choose an authenticator app (like Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator, or Authy) over SMS text messages. SMS codes can sometimes be intercepted by determined attackers, whereas app-generated codes are cryptographically more secure.
Backup Codes: Save the backup codes provided by the service and store them offline in a safe, secure place (like a password manager or physical safe). If you lose your phone, these codes are the only way to get back into your account.
By using 2FA, you effectively lock out 99% of opportunistic cybercriminals, turning a potential disaster into a minor inconvenience.
2. Treat Every Email and Text Message with Extreme Suspicion (The Phishing Filter)
The Threat: Impersonation and Urgency
Phishing scams explode during the holidays. Hackers impersonate popular shipping companies (UPS, FedEx, USPS), major retailers (Amazon, Walmart), and even your bank. The messages rely on urgency: “Your account is frozen,” “Your shipment failed,” or “Verify your address immediately.”
These links lead to fake websites designed to look identical to the real thing, tricking you into entering your login credentials or credit card numbers.
🛡️ Cyber Safety Checklist Action:
Hover, Don’t Click: Before clicking any link, hover your mouse cursor over it (or press and hold on mobile). Look at the URL that appears at the bottom of the browser. A legitimate Amazon link should start with https://amazon.com (or a country code). A scam link might look like https://amazon.secure-verify-update.co. If the main domain name looks suspicious, DO NOT CLICK.
Go Directly to the Source: Never log into a payment or banking site via an email link. If you receive an alert about a shipment or payment, close the email, manually type the retailer’s URL into your browser, and log in directly from the official website to check your notifications.
Watch for Red Flags: Be wary of poor grammar, generic greetings (“Dear Customer” instead of your name), and attachments you didn’t request (like a “Shipping Label” or “Invoice” PDF).
Remember: Legitimate businesses will rarely ask you to verify sensitive login or financial details via email. If a message causes panic, it’s probably a scam.
3. Secure Your Network Connection (Especially Away from Home)
The Threat: The Unsecured Connection
Your home network connection, powered by Empire Fiber Internet, provides a high degree of security. Your router acts as a firewall, and your symmetric speeds ensure secure data transfer. However, when you shop away from home, you lose that protection.
Public Wi-Fi networks—at coffee shops, airports, or shopping centers—are notoriously insecure. They are often unencrypted, making it easy for an attacker nearby to “listen in” on your activity and steal any data you transmit, including usernames, passwords, and credit card numbers.
🛡️ Cyber Safety Checklist Action:
Avoid Public Wi-Fi for Transactions: Never log into your bank, check sensitive email, or complete a financial transaction while connected to public Wi-Fi. Wait until you are home, connected to your secure fiber network.
Use Your Phone’s Data: If you must shop on the go, disable Wi-Fi and switch to your mobile carrier’s cellular data (4G/5G). Cellular data is encrypted and significantly safer than public Wi-Fi for sensitive activities.
Look for the Lock: Always confirm that the site you are visiting uses encryption. Look for the padlock icon in your browser’s address bar and ensure the URL begins with https:// (not just http://). This confirms your connection to that specific website is encrypted.
The best defense is your secure home fiber connection. If you need to make a large online purchase, always do it from the safety of your own home network.
4. Prioritize Unique, Strong Passwords and Use a Password Manager
The Threat: Credential Stuffing
Credential stuffing is a highly efficient attack where hackers take lists of usernames and passwords stolen from one site (like a breached forum) and automatically “stuff” them into other major sites (like PayPal, Amazon, and banks). If you reuse passwords, they gain access to everything instantly.
The human brain is simply not equipped to invent and remember dozens of unique, complex passwords. That’s why you need tools to help.
🛡️ Cyber Safety Checklist Action:
Adopt a Password Manager: Install and use a reputable password manager (e.g., LastPass, 1Password, Bitwarden). These tools securely store and automatically generate long, complex, unique passwords for every site you visit. You only need to remember one master password.
Create Complex Passwords: If you must manually create a password, make it long (12 characters minimum) and combine upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Never use personal information (pets’ names, birthdates, team names).
Audit High-Value Accounts: Immediately change the passwords for your email, bank, and major retail accounts. Do not reuse these passwords anywhere else, ever.
A password manager is one of the single greatest investments in holiday online safety you can make, minimizing your risk of catastrophic loss from credential stuffing.
5. Utilize Credit Cards and Monitor Statements Continuously
The Threat: Unauthorized Charges
Despite all precautions, fraudulent activity may still occur, especially if a large retailer you shop at suffers a massive data breach. The goal here is damage control—to ensure your primary finances remain untouched.
🛡️ Cyber Safety Checklist Action:
Use a Credit Card, Not a Debit Card: When shopping online, prioritize using a credit card. Credit cards offer significantly stronger fraud protection. If a credit card number is stolen, the bank owns the liability, and the charge is typically reversed without affecting your checking account balance. If a debit card is stolen, the money is immediately taken from your checking account, potentially causing overdrafts and financial chaos while you wait for the investigation to clear.
Check Statements Weekly: During the busy shopping season, check your bank and credit card statements at least once a week. You want to spot unauthorized charges immediately. The faster you report fraud, the easier it is for your bank to stop the transaction and investigate.
Use Virtual Cards: Some banks and payment services offer “virtual” credit card numbers—temporary, single-use numbers that can be tied to your main card. Using these for specific online purchases ensures the merchant never sees your actual primary card number.
Vigilance is your final line of defense. By using credit cards and monitoring your accounts, you shift the liability away from your immediate funds.
Why Your Connection Matters
While this checklist focuses on personal actions, remember that your underlying network connection is the foundation of all your holiday online safety.
Empire Fiber Internet’s pure fiber network offers several security advantages:
- Stability and Reliability: Our fiber minimizes the need for you to seek out dangerous public Wi-Fi spots because your home connection is always fast and stable enough for every task.
- Superior Infrastructure: Fiber is less susceptible to network interference and physical tapping than traditional copper or cable networks.
- Bandwidth for Security: Our symmetrical speeds support advanced, bandwidth-hungry security tools you might install, such as a next-gen firewall or continuously streaming security cameras, ensuring they operate without compromising your browsing speed.
This holiday season, be smart, be vigilant, and stay safe. Follow this checklist, and enjoy the peace of mind that comes with knowing your finances are protected while you enjoy the speed and stability of Empire Fiber Internet.
