Tis the season of Security

The Risks of Cybersecurity Breaches During the Holiday Season

Ah, the holiday season! It’s a time for joy, festivity, and unfortunately, a prime time for cybersecurity issues. As businesses wind down for the holidays, many employees take vacations, leaving companies more vulnerable to cyberattacks. As someone who is often referred to as Skinny Santa Claus (however I’ve been told Santa is “more bearder than me”) I think it is my duty to share that cybercriminals are aware of this and are ready to exploit the reduced vigilance.

Increased Vulnerability Due to Vacations

During the holidays, many businesses operate with a skeleton crew. This reduced workforce can lead to slower responses to potential threats and less oversight of security protocols. Cybercriminals take advantage of this by launching attacks when they know the company’s defenses are down.

Common Holiday Scams Targeting Businesses

1. Phishing Scams: These scams often disguise themselves as fake order confirmations, shipping notifications, or too-good-to-be-true special offers. Employees who are not as vigilant during the holiday rush may fall prey to these scams, compromising sensitive company information1.
2. Fraudulent Websites and Fake Advertisements: Cybercriminals create fake websites and advertisements that mimic legitimate businesses. They lure employees into entering company credentials or making purchases on these fraudulent sites, leading to data breaches.
3. Social Media Scams: Scammers use social media to promote fake giveaways or charity scams. Employees might unknowingly share company information or click on malicious links, putting the business at risk.
4. Identity Theft: With increased online activity, the risk of identity theft skyrockets. Cybercriminals might use stolen details to make unauthorized purchases or open new accounts in the company’s name.
5. Data Breaches: Businesses are prime targets for cyberattacks during the holidays. A data breach can expose sensitive information, turning holiday joy into a nightmare5.

Protecting Your Business

To safeguard your business during the holiday season, consider the following tips:

• Increase Vigilance: Ensure that your IT team is on high alert and ready to respond to any potential threats. Implement a robust incident response plan. Watch for texts asking for help.  This is a method used to evade your system security.  Texts like “hey I am working from family’s house and can’t get into the system can you do x for me?”
• Communicate: Have employees communicate in advance on travel plans, especially international plans.  Your IT company will need to sort through some of the logs and data and know where folks are supposed to will be beneficial for troubleshooting issues and determining legitimate travel and work behavior.
• Educate Employees: Conduct training sessions to remind employees of the importance of cybersecurity, especially during the holidays. Emphasize the risks of phishing scams and fraudulent websites. Our training platform will have weekly training specific to this time of year.
• Use Multi-Factor Authentication: Implement multi-factor authentication for all company accounts to add an extra layer of security.
• Monitor Activity: Keep a close eye on network activity and look for any unusual behavior. Use security software to detect and prevent potential threats.
• Update Security Protocols: Ensure that all software and devices are updated with the latest security patches.

By staying vigilant and proactive, businesses can enjoy a safe and secure holiday season, free from the stress of cybersecurity threats. If you want some help and peace of mind, reach out to our team to schedule a time to talk about security and how we can help your organization.