There has already been a significant increase in online shopping due to the covid-19 pandemic and as we enter the Christmas period online sales are going to ramp up even further – not to mention Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales.
Of course, bad hackers know this and will try to entice unsuspecting shoppers to visit their bogus websites. Once there, the hacker only has to provide a form for the shopper to fill out their personal and credit card details and the shopper will have unwittingly passed these on to the hacker. Hackers will often be unwilling to spend maney on an SSL certificate, so the site won’t display one. Don’t be caught out, avoid shopping at a website that doesn’t have an SSL certificate.
Another reason for not shopping at a website that doesn’t have an SSL certificate is because all your personal and financial information will be sent across the internet unencrypted meaning anyone with ill intent and the knowledge to do so can monitor a website’s traffic and obtain all your details.
Finally, do you really want to trust a website whose owner does not comply with GDPR regulations that require all personal information (including financial details) be encrypted to safeguard your privacy? I think not.
In conclusion, please protect yourself by following this basic rule of not shopping at websites that do not have an SSL certificate.
If you have any security questions relating to this or any other issue, please call Kamila on 01522 797520 and she will put you in contact with the appropriate member of staff who will be able to help.
Alex
Website and Email Support
