The holiday season should be a time for relaxation and celebration—not a time to fall victim to cyber threats. By staying vigilant and implementing smart cyber security practices, you can protect your business and personal data from attackers who aim to exploit the festive downtime.
Here are some common causes of cyber security vulnerabilities which occur during holiday periods and what to do to better prevent them in your organisation.
Business Downtime Means Fewer Defences
During the holiday season, many businesses scale back their operations, close offices or reduce staffing. This creates a perfect storm for cybercriminals. Fewer staff on the tools means fewer eyes to spot unusual activity on an organisation’s systems.
Managed services and outsourced IT teams may also be operating on limited hours, meaning that even if an attack is detected, response times may be slower.
Cyber Security Tip: Make sure your IT teams have clear protocols in place for the holidays, including increased monitoring, automatic alerts for unusual activity and access to emergency resources.
Increase in Online Shopping and Financial Transactions
Online shopping skyrockets during the holiday season, so do online scams. Phishing emails disguised as promotional offers, fake e-commerce websites and fraudulent gift card requests are common tactics used by cybercriminals to steal personal and financial information. The rush to grab the best deals or buy last-minute gifts can cause even the most cautious person to let their guard down.
Cyber Security Tip: Verify the legitimacy of websites before making any purchases, use secure payment methods and avoid sharing personal information unless necessary. Always double-check URLs for subtle misspellings or unusual domain names.
Holiday Travel Increases Exposure
Many people take advantage of the holidays to travel, often connecting to unsecured public WiFi at airports, cafes, or hotels. While convenient, these open networks are a goldmine for hackers. Without encryption, attackers can easily intercept sensitive data like passwords, credit card numbers, and emails.
Cyber Security Tip: When traveling, avoid connecting to public WiFi without a virtual private network (VPN). Keep devices secure with strong passwords and enable two-factor authentication for key accounts.
Heightened Emotional and Time Pressure
The holiday season is often accompanied by a sense of urgency—whether it’s buying gifts before shipping deadlines or responding to time-sensitive work requests. Cybercriminals capitalise on this heightened pressure by sending phishing emails designed to appear urgent, such as fake invoices, last-minute sales offers, or fraudulent delivery updates. These emotionally charged tactics often trick people into clicking harmful links or downloading malicious attachments.
Cyber Security Tip: Always take a moment to verify the source of emails before clicking links or opening attachments, especially if they claim to be urgent or time-sensitive.
Increased Focus on Personal, Not Work Security
While people are busy preparing for the holidays, they may not be as focused on their cyber hygiene. Employees working remotely or catching up on emails during their time off might inadvertently bypass usual security protocols, creating opportunities for attackers to slip through the cracks. Additionally, personal devices used for work tasks over the holidays may not be as secure as office systems.
Cyber Security Tip: Remind employees to stay cautious when accessing work systems remotely. Encourage them to update software, use encrypted connections and avoid downloading unverified files.
At Cyber Collab, we’re committed to helping businesses and individuals stay secure year-round. In the leadup and throughout the holiday season, we’ll be sharing regular and easy to implement tips and insights on our LinkedIn page. From avoiding phishing scams to securing your online shopping, these quick, actionable tips will help you stay one step ahead of cyber criminals.
Stay safe and enjoy a cyber secure holiday season!