There is no respite from IT attacks during the holiday period

Visits to dubious web pages or use of high risk applications such as chat or P2P clients often peak during the holiday period

Users are now exposed not just to attacks from viruses and worms but also from criminal activity such as fraud and identity theft with far more serious consequences

According to Panda Software, there is no respite in the number of new threats that appear during the holiday period

Internet connections in people’s free time, often coinciding with local holiday periods, are at far greater risk from IT attacks than connections made at work. These connections often include visits to dubious web pages or the use of applications that are frequently used to distribute new threats or launch IT attacks. These include chat, IRC or P2P clients.

The risk is even greater given that during these connections many users also access online services such as banks or stores. The risk inherent in these activities makes a dangerous cocktail with the new malware dynamic, in which malicious users are motivated by financial gain. For this reason, the risks to users have now multiplied with respect to the computer viruses of the past and the probability of falling victim to attacks aimed at stealing identity or confidential data is greater than ever. This type of attack has serious consequences, as it does not simply affect the computer itself but also the life of the user: financial fraud, use of stolen personal data, etc.

In addition, the increasing use of mobile systems (laptops, PDAs and latest generation cellphones) and WiFi connections means that users can now connect to the Internet wherever and whenever they want, particularly outside of the workplace. The problem with this type of connection lies in that, as a general rule, users are unaware of whether the network they are using is properly protected or not or whether there are infected computers connected to it. They should also be wary when connecting from cyber-cafes, hotels or other public places and take the corresponding security measures, avoiding where possible, entering confidential data.

According to data from PandaLabs, the number of new threats that appear every month does not drop during holiday periods, and therefore the chances of suffering an attack are the same throughout the year. Moreover, some of the most significant attacks ever occurred during this period. Sircam, Red Code and Blaster (all responsible for infecting millions of computers) are a few examples.

Practical tips for safe use of the Internet:

Keep your guard up and always connect from computers with fully up-to-date security solutions

Don’t enter personal or confidential details in public computers

Avoid connections over unknown WiFi networks

Ignore and delete unsolicited or suspicious email, no matter how enticing the content

Always scan the computer you use to connect to the Internet with an up-to-date antivirus solution. There are free, online tools you can use, such as Panda ActiveScan, which also detect spyware.