It's getting to be that time of year when online threats shift into high gear, as scammers look to take advantage of the increase in Internet commerce during the upcoming holidays.

But staying secure online doesn't have to involve complicated solutions. Here's a useful tip to help you stay protected, courtesy of Joe Wells, our CTO:

"If you find yourself on a website that requires a log-in, such as your online bank, and you want to be sure that it is the authentic website and not a hijacked re-direct to a site with dubious intentions, try logging in with a fake user ID and password. A rogue site will accept that information since they don't know your actual log-in information, but your authentic site will send an error message and require you to enter the correct information."

Looking for more tips on faking out the fakes? Read this months Lavasoft News article on bypassing bogus security software.