What are best practices for ordering safe and secure IT equipments online?

Ordering business equipment online can be a daunting experience!  How do you know which websites are safe?  How do you know if you’re getting quality products that aren’t knock-offs? Can you trust the computer you ordered from Amazon is safe to put on your network?  (Spoiler Alert:  No, it is not.)

Here are tips on keeping online Hardware ordering stress-free and secure: 

Avoid Amazon For Any Network-Connected Device

It’s not worth it. The recommendation to avoid Amazon has very little to do with Amazon itself; it’s an amazing shopping platform. Unfortunately, individuals and resellers take advantage of the platform’s global reach to sell knockoff, low-quality, and insecure network and computer hardware to unsuspecting shoppers looking for a deal. Anyone can register to be an Amazon reseller, and nefarious individuals looking for easy cybersecurity targets often do. 

What you save up front with a suspiciously low 70% off deal will cost you later in repairs, returns, lost time, frustration, and potentially costly cybersecurity breaches. Nepharious resellers sell low-quality, refurbished PCs as “New,” and buyers find themselves with computers that are dead on arrival or riddled with operating system licensing and performance issues. The risk of pre-installed nefarious software is too high to make the low cost worth it, especially when ordering network switches, servers, or routers. 

 Be sure to check the URL:

Safe to buy on Amazon:  

• Mice
• Keyboards
• Monitors
• Headsets or Computer speakers 
• Power cables or Ethernet Cables
• USB drives – use caution and buy major brands only

Unsafe to buy on Amazon: 

• Computers and Laptops
• Switches, routers, wireless access points 
• Display adapters 

Instead, Buy Direct

There are a whole host of benefits to ordering directly from major computer manufacturing retailers like Dell, HP, Asus, and Lenovo. All of these retailers offer sales of older models of high-quality computer systems and equipment. Manufacturer warranties come standard, and high-value warranty upgrades are available at reasonable prices. Many of these retailers have rewards programs that can pay off over time. Consistently ordering one brand of computer also improves the overall management of your IT Environment.  

Benefits of buying directly from the manufacturer: 

• 1-5 year warranties 
• Higher-Quality hardware
• Guaranteed to Get What You Order
• Rewards Programs 
• Easier Hardware Management and Troubleshooting 

Safe Practices for Computer Peripherals and Accessories: 

Though the risk of buying computer peripherals like USB sticks, webcams, and monitors is much lower than purchasing knock-off or altered PCs, there are red flags to be aware of, even for small office items.  

If you’re in the US, be aware of banned technologies.  The US FCC updates its list of technology companies and equipment that should not be used in any US business environment, even though these products are available to purchase from major online retailers. 

You can find that list here:  https://www.fcc.gov/supplychain/coveredlist

Red Flags To Look Out For When Buying Computer Peripherals (Monitors, Webcams, USB Sticks, Computer Speakers):  

• The Product Doesn’t Look Like The Picture 
• The Item’s Packaging is in another language 
• The internal or immediate packaging appears to be tampered with  
• Unusually long shipping times 
• The item appears to be a knock-off

Bottom Line:  

Saving the extra few dollars on cheap, big-box retailers isn’t worth the risk to your business network.  Never assume that because your business is small, you’re not at risk for cyber-attack.  Bad actors are well aware of the temptation of low-cost computers and use small business shopping habits to their advantage as an “easy in” to your network.  Stick with trusted retailers and never use equipment that appears tampered with or isn’t as advertised.