For Black Friday and Cyber Monday, naturally many people will be browsing online and shopping around for the best deals they can find. However, whenever there is a sale to be made or a product to sell, hackers and cyberterrorists may be lurking nearby. Moreover, with the continued restrictions and negative attitudes about in-person shopping due to COVID and the sheer amount of people who go in person to different stores, online traffic and sales are bound to be higher than usual. Thus, companies must be prepared for a substantial amount of incoming traffic and the incoming cyber threats that may perpetuate because of them.

For companies partaking in retail online, advanced firewalls, cloud based payment processing services, multi-authentication, and advanced employee IT trainings are crucial steps for to take to ensure the best possible customer service for any potential customers. Not only will these precautions increase the safety of users hoping to purchase something from an online website, but they are put in place to help company data from being stolen as well. Without proper cybersecurity measures, both consumer data and company data are at risk of being stolen, and the slightest amount of data in the wrong hands can lead to both stolen identities and fraudulent purchases using consumer data, or malware and ransomware attacks against a company, its retail website, or any of its subsidiaries. 

Taking anti-cyberattack measures can lead to a better user experience on a website, improved website performance, and more satisfied customers when they know their financial and purchasing data are safe from any potential cyber criminals or hackers looking to make a quick steal.

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Cybersecurity may not be the first thing on everyone's mind during the year 2020, but it definitely shouldn't be the last. CrowdStrike reports that approximately 56% of all surveyed organizations have faced at least one ransomware attack within the 2020 year, with approximately 27% of these organizations paying the hackers to end it. Due to the pandemic we find ourselves in, cybersecurity experts predict an increased amount of ransomware attacks across the world, and many even believe that eCrime and cyberattacks can pose one of the biggest threats to businesses in 2021 and in years to come if not properly dealt with.

Additionally, by companies allowing most employees to work remotely from home, cyberattacks are even more likely to occur; without a VPN, antivirus program, or proper security measures, both personal and professional data are at more risk than ever before, something hackers are continuing to take notice of. As such, the fear for increased cyberthreats is justified and until employees return to a secure and safe network, their data will continue to be at risk.

To minimize risk, one should certainly follow proper cybersecurity guidelines such as not opening emails from unknown sources or downloading anything that seems suspicious. Moreover, using a VPN, secure wireless connections, or uploading work to different clouds to separate personal and professional data can help stop hackers in their trace, and help ensure they aren't rewarded for their efforts. 

While the year 2020 may almost be over, the long lasting impact of COVID-19 and its effect on both the real and digital world are far from disappearing.