Security Tips

How to Safely Shop Online

October 28, 2022

Do you regularly use your debit card for online purchases? Do you have payment information saved on online shopping accounts? Do you use autofill to enter your payment information? If you answered yes to any of these questions, your payment information may be at risk. Online retailers are a popular target for cybercriminals, which makes your information vulnerable to a data breach. A data breach is when a cyberattack results in the theft of private user information.

If you shop online and want to secure your payment information from a data breach, consider the following tips:

Avoid Making Payments With Debit Cards

When you make purchases online, always use a credit card instead of a debit card. Debit cards are linked to your bank account, so if a bad guy can access your debit card information, they can access your entire bank account. Because debit cards use the cash available in your bank, disputing a charge can lead to the long and complicated process of replacing stolen funds. Credit card purchases add to your debt, which means that a fraudulent charge won’t immediately impact your finances. Using a credit card for online purchases allows you to dispute a charge, without losing access to your cash.

Avoid Saving Payment Methods for Future Purchases

When you shop online, many retailers offer to save your payment information for future purchases. While this option is more convenient than entering your payment information every time you shop, always decline saving this information. Unfortunately, data breaches happen and even the most reputable online retailers are vulnerable to a breach. Avoid saving your payment method altogether so that your information is not at risk during a cyber attack.

Avoid Saving Payment Methods for Autofill

When you make purchases online, internet browsers such as Chrome, Edge, and Firefox offer to save your payment information for autofill. Even if it is more convenient to use the autofill feature, always decline saving this information. If bad guys physically or remotely gain access to your browser, they can steal any information that your browser stores for autofill purposes. It may be inconvenient to manually enter your payment information every time you shop online, but the inconvenience is worth keeping your information secure.

Stop, Look, and Think. Don’t be fooled.

Like This Post?

Fiber

Stop the Buffer: How to Get the Most from Your Streaming Experience

There’s nothing more frustrating than getting to the final seconds of a close game—only to see the spinning buffering wheel right before the winning shot. While buffering is often blamed on slow internet, that’s not always the case—especially if you’re already connected to Citynet Fiber. Your streaming device, settings, and even your home network setup can all impact performance. Here’s

March 27, 2026

Technology

Phone Photography Tips: Take Better Photos This Spring

Capture Spring Like a Pro — With Just Your Phone Spring is one of the most photogenic times of year—blooming flowers, longer golden-hour light, and weekends filled with moments worth remembering. The best part?You don’t need a $3,000 camera or professional training to capture it all. The phone in your pocket is more powerful than most people realize. With just

March 27, 2026

Cybersecurity

How Long Attackers Stay in a Network Before They’re Discovered

When people imagine a cyberattack, they often picture a dramatic event — systems suddenly shutting down or files becoming encrypted. But many cyber incidents don’t unfold that way. In many cases, attackers quietly gain access to a network and remain there for weeks or even months before being discovered. This period is known as “dwell time.” During this time, attackers

March 25, 2026

Cybersecurity

5 Critical Mistakes to Avoid During a Cyberattack

Think your business may already be compromised? See the warning signs and response steps here Even well-intentioned actions can make a cyber incident worse Cyberattacks often unfold quickly, and the wrong response in the first few minutes can make an incident far more difficult to contain and investigate. When a cyber incident occurs, the natural reaction is to act quickly

March 25, 2026

Cybersecurity

How Most Cyberattacks Actually Start

It’s usually not a sophisticated hack — it’s a moment of trust. Many organizations imagine cyberattacks as highly technical breaches targeting servers or networks. In reality, most cyber incidents begin with something much simpler – a human mistake or a moment of misplaced trust. Cybercriminals increasingly focus on manipulating employees rather than breaking through technical defenses. Here are some of

March 25, 2026

Checklists

Protecting Devices Before the Next Storm

Stay Connected When the Power Goes Out High winds, heavy rain, lightning, ice, and even wildfires can knock out power in an instant. And when the power goes down, your internet connection usually goes with it. But what happens after the storm – when power is restored, and your devices don’t come back online? Power surges during outages and restoration

March 25, 2026