Norton report warns UK shoppers of holiday cyber risks

Shoppers in the UK are urged to exercise caution when seeking discounts during the holiday season to avoid the risk of digital identity theft, according to a new report published by Norton.

The 2024 Norton Cyber Safety Insights Report highlights that 61% of UK consumers have disclosed personal information, such as email addresses and home addresses, to secure discounts while shopping online. This trend is particularly concerning as the festive period approaches and shopping activity intensifies.

The report further reveals that in the previous festive period, there was a 53% increase in malvertising attacks, which involve malicious adverts commonly stumbled upon by users searching for deals or discount codes. Additionally, the distribution of adware, a type of malicious software often spread through these malvertising attacks, surged by 227% during the same timeframe.

Iskander Sanchez-Rola, Director of Innovation for Norton, warns, "Shopping for deals isn't a bad idea, but sharing your information can be incredibly dangerous as anything personal can be tied back to you and may end up in the wrong hands. This could happen in a few ways — perhaps the company you give your personal information to operates legitimately but lacks the technical structure and security to protect your data. This makes these companies more susceptible to breaches, which could mean your data will end up on the dark web. In fact, there have been over 200 data breaches involving UK companies in 2024 alone. On the other hand, criminals may be advertising these discounts to lure in consumers in order to sell their personal information to the highest bidder."

The survey underscores that 70% of British consumers have endeavoured to obtain discount codes through methods such as subscribing to mailing lists or participating in surveys. Of these individuals, 95% shared their email addresses, while 64% provided their names, 36% their phone numbers, and 24% their home addresses.

With nearly half of UK shoppers (48%) willing to disclose their phone number and email in exchange for a discount of 25% or less, the report sheds light on the allure of discounted offers and the potential exposure to cyber risks. Only 28% of respondents stated they would refuse to offer their personal details in return for a discount.

This increase in data sharing online aligns with growing consumer concerns about cyber security. Over half of respondents (51%) voiced worries about compromising their personal information through complex shopping scams, marking a rise from 47% the previous year. Additionally, 67% expressed fears about becoming victims of cybercrime, up from 59%, with nearly a quarter (23%) having been targeted by scams in past holiday seasons.

Norton experts advise consumers to employ various strategies to safeguard their personal details during online shopping. Recommendations include using alternative email addresses that are not linked to personal communications and sourcing discount codes directly from retailers rather than third-party providers.

With data showing a significant rise in cyber threats over the holiday season, Norton intends to promote awareness to ensure shoppers can protect themselves from identity theft and maintain their digital safety while enjoying festive shopping offers.