Black Friday: Risk of online platform crashes and cyber-attacks five times higher

Online shops see up to five times more traffic during Black Friday than normal, and the risk of website crashes and performance increases proportionately, Forscope Romania warns. At the same time, during such high traffic periods, systems and networks are stretched to the limit, increasing exposure to cyber-attacks. The use of legitimate software protects these systems including through security updates. Without these, organisations can incur losses of over ten thousand euros per infected computer.

“The importance of legally purchased software, whether new or used, cannot be overstated, especially in high-stakes contexts like Black Friday. It ensures that both seller and consumer are protected, that systems run smoothly and that potential vulnerabilities are minimised. Illegal software programs, especially those downloaded from misleading websites, can come bundled with viruses. This risk is exacerbated at times like Black Friday, when users may be tempted to download ultra-low-cost or even free versions of premium software,” says Ionut Les, Forscope’s Country Manager for Romania.

Of the total volume of cyber-attacks, more than 40% target small companies, which also have the most difficulty managing growing IT budgets. E-commerce platforms that use legitimate software, especially in their backend systems, payment gateways and data management, are less likely to suffer security breaches. This ensures that customer data and payment information remain secure.

While a premium package can be prohibitively expensive for many organisations, used or second-hand software solutions, purchased from trusted vendors and with all security updates, can ensure that both the owner and users conduct transactions securely. At the same time, genuine software – whether first-time or used – purchased legally often includes customer support.

According to Forscope Romania, a company facing a data breach incurs costs of more than €3 million. These include direct costs (remediation efforts, legal fees, and compensation to affected parties, etc.), but also indirect costs (loss of market share, damage to reputation and loss of customer trust). At the same time, longer-term impacts such as higher insurance premiums or tighter conditions for obtaining bank loans need to be considered.