SHOPPING LIFE

Going online instead of going to the mall can be a convenient and cheaper way to get the holiday shopping done. But it can have a downside.

Cybercriminals tend to come out in force around peak shopping times. Online shoppers, unless they guard against the threat, run the risk of having their credit card and bank account numbers stolen without even knowing what’s happened — until it’s too late.

Market research firm Forrester Research projects that U.S. consumers will spend $44 billion online this month and next, up 12 percent from the same period last year. Criminals have started to employ malicious programs to steal consumers’ personal and financial information such as Social Security, bank account and credit card numbers. Spyware and malware can run quietly in the background, often without a PC user knowing it’s there.

“The profile of malware authors has shifted from punks to professionals,” said Nick Selby, a security analyst. “They’re doing it for money.”

Security experts say it’s difficult to estimate the size of the spyware threat, especially given that many exploits may go unnoticed. But F-Secure, a security software company, detects some 80,000 to 100,000 new suspicious files a day, of which 20,000 to 25,000 are new types of malware files, said Patrick Runald, the company’s chief security adviser.

Meanwhile, the number of identity theft complaints collected by the Federal Trade Commission’s Consumer Sentinel program hit 258,427 last year, more than a third of which involved stolen credit card or bank account numbers.

To ward off cybercriminals, online shoppers can take the following steps:

•Run security software: You shouldn’t be online without it.

•Keep your programs up to date: Make sure you’ve downloaded and installed the latest updates for your security software, operating system, Web browser and browser plug-ins.

•Be wary of e-mail links: Many will take you to sites you don’t want to visit.

•Scan your PC: Free online software can tell you if your computer has any known malware installed.

•Stick to the well-lighted places: You’re less likely to encounter malware at known and reputable online sites than at other places.

•Check your statements: Keep an eye out for questionable charges in your credit card and bank accounts.

San Jose Mercury News