For most of us, the holiday season is the perfect time to be with family and friends, hang out at the beach, and overindulge in some yummy food.

What’s not to love?

But cybercriminals also love Christmas.

Why?

Because it’s the perfect time for them to attack.

Think about it.

The reason cyber attacks surge between Christmas and the New Year is that businesses and, people, in general, have their guards down.

Cybercriminals know that companies are operating with fewer staff and are ‘less responsive’ during the festive season.

It’s almost the perfect storm of circumstances which is great news for the malicious actors who look to exploit any increased vulnerabilities.

But there is good news as there are some simple steps you can take to protect your people, your profits, and your reputation this holiday season.

We’ve put together the... 

Top 12 (no cost) tips that you can do that will help you stay safe and sleep better over the festive period

  1) Turn off devices that are not needed or are not being used 

  2) Unplug the WiFi 

  3) Shutdown servers 

  4) Change your passwords (including your home WiFi) 

  5) Be vigilant when checking emails 

  6) Update your machines and devices (software and firmware) 

  7) Stay in touch with the news (every other day) 

  8) Disable your VPN (if you’re not using it) 

  9) Use MFA/2FA 

  10) Be vigilant when online shopping (avoid clicking on ads) 

  11) Make sure your data is backed up 

  12) Tell your staff you will not be making any sort of demands during the holidays (if in doubt, ask) 

Want to dive into each of the 12 tips a little deeper?

And as a bonus, you can access a summary of the 12 Tips HERE.

Why not share this with your staff or include it in your next team meeting?