As Black Week becomes increasingly important for Swedish companies and consumers, the associated cyber threats are also increasing. “There is an attack every eleven seconds,” warns Henrik Hammarström at GlobalConnect, which provides tips for both companies and consumers to protect themselves against hackers.

With an expected turnover of 8.7 billion, Black Week shopping is one of the most crucial weeks for Swedish retailers, consumers and hackers. For retailers, many of whom have had a challenging year, the week represents a chance for recovery. At the same time, it makes them attractive targets for hackers who demand ransom to regain control of their websites. A few minutes of a compromised, crashed or slow website can result in significant financial losses and brand damage. This year has seen an increase in IT attacks against Swedish companies compared to previous periods.

“Black Week is peak season for hackers and scammers. They know that customers are looking for deals and flood the market with fake offers. It is a real threat, and unfortunately many fall victim to it,” says Henrik Hammarström, CEO of IT and telecommunications company GlobalConnect.

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Despite significant investments in security systems in recent years, companies remain vulnerable. One of the fastest growing causes of cybercrime is staff negligence. Therefore, Henrik Hammarström emphasizes the importance of training staff.

“Being human is both an advantage and a disadvantage. Many people use the same password for all logins, use their work computer for private activities and quickly dismiss security warnings. Companies have an obligation to reduce the opportunity for individual employees to expose the company to risks,” says Henrik Hammarström.

Online shopping has become increasingly common, and according to Postnord, 77 percent of Black Week purchases are made online. This has opened up more opportunities for cybercriminals. One of the favorite methods is sending emails with tempting offers. A good guideline is to be extra cautious if an offer seems too good to be true.

“The offers often appear to come from trustworthy senders, but if you give out your account details it can be a costly affair. If you use your work email, the risks increase even more, as hackers can then access your employer,” warns Henrik Hammarström.

Ahead of this year's Black Week, Henrik Hammarström and GlobalConnect have compiled tips for both companies and consumers to minimize the risk of being affected by cyber threats.

5 Tips for Business:

1. Prepare for Rush – Far in Advance: Make sure the infrastructure can handle the load when many people are shopping.
2. Test Continuously: Regular testing reveals limitations and weaknesses in the system.
3. Secure Collaborations: External solutions in your business ecosystem make you vulnerable.
4. Create Backup System: Modern solutions that cannot be easily deleted simplify server cleanup and rapid recovery after an attack.
5. Prepare and Train Your Team: Attacks are most often carried out by unknowing employees.

Tips for Consumers:

1. Use Password Managers or Change Unique, Regular Passwords: Passwords should always contain letters, numbers, and symbols.
2. Update Your Antivirus Program.
3. Be Careful with Email Offers: During shopping holidays, many offers come via email. Instead of clicking on the links, visit the website directly and look up the offer.
4. Shop on Websites with Well-Known Payment Methods: Be wary of websites that request information to “save for next time.”
5. Be Skeptical of Very Low Prices.
6. Avoid Using Your Master Card: Use a card with minimal funds and don't link it to your salary account.
7. Review the Company You Were Considering Buying From: Read reviews from other customers and/or reports.
8. Block Your Card Immediately and Report It to the Police If You Are Victimized.