10 Holiday Security Tips for Your Business

The very last thing you want to be dealing with as a business owner over the holiday season is a security breach. Unfortunately, cybercriminals take advantage of the fact that businesses are closed or short staffed. Workers are inundated with end-of-year tasks and generally have increased responsibilities outside of work. On top of that, email traffic is up. All of the distractions make it easier for cyberattackers to exploit security vulnerabilities. The increased risk around the holidays is all the more reason companies should put a little extra effort in to ensure their data is safe.

There are plenty of simple strategies that business owners and managers can enforce to improve business security during the holidays. Cybersecurity threats can occur at any time, so it’s crucial that your business is prepared during busier times of year. Small businesses are no exception. By planning ahead and putting security systems in place, you can protect your organization and enjoy the holiday season instead of scrambling to respond to a security incident. Today, we’ll cover 10 tips to help you strengthen your security stance during the holidays this year.

Holiday Cybercrime

The main cause of vulnerabilities at this time of year is human error, meaning that many holiday data breaches are completely preventable. A shortage of workers, increased distractions, and reduced focus on security is the perfect opportunity for cybercriminals to strike.

Last year, the FBI urged organizations to be prepared for attacks executed on weekends and holidays when there is less staff available to respond to vulnerabilities and threats. When workers are out of the office, their duties are sometimes given to other employees who may not have the experience necessary to do their job and keep cybersecurity at top of mind. And, many workers take time off to celebrate with friends, family, and loved ones around the holidays.

Workers are also likely to feel a bit of end-of-year fatigue. Employees are working diligently to tie up loose ends and ensure that everything is in order as the fiscal year ends. However, that means their attention won’t be as focused on cybersecurity, and small details might fall through the cracks.

Because of the festivities, many organizations choose to shut their doors for an extended period of time. But this leaves organizations even more vulnerable to a cyberattack since there is no one online to monitor and detect anomalous activity on the network.

All of these factors converge to create the perfect opportunity for cybercriminals to launch an attack.

10 Security Tips for Your Business This Holiday Season

Keeping your business safe from damaging cyberattacks and organized crime during the holiday season should be your top priority. Here are 10 security tips that every business can follow to help protect their business during the holidays.

1. Update Security Patches

Teams should ensure that their systems are up to date and that any new patches are tested and applied as soon as they are released, no matter how busy the company is at this time. Additionally, personnel should be assigned to monitor alerts remotely when the business is closed or workers are out of the office so that critical patches aren’t delayed.

2. Require Workers to Set Up Their Multifactor Authentication Credentials

Multifactor Authentication (MFA) fatigue happens when workers get tired of logging in and out with an authenticator app, push notification, or with a text message. During the holidays, workers might be busier than usual, and therefore, more frustrated by MFA requirements. But MFA is crucial for keeping your business safe from ransomware and DDoS attacks. Now is the perfect time for workers to set up their MFA credentials so that systems are extra secure going into the holidays.

3. Conduct Phishing Simulation Training

Another important step that organizations can take to ensure security over the holidays is to conduct phishing simulation training at the beginning of the season, and ideally on a monthly basis. This kind of training gives employees a chance to practice their ability to identify malicious links and attachments without a real threat looming. It’s a good opportunity to teach workers not to share login information with anyone over email and the importance of verifying emails.

4. Review Your Company Security Policy With All of Your Employees

All businesses should review company security policies as the holiday season approaches. Ensure that all employees understand the importance of keeping access credentials private, know how to spot cybercrime, and know what to do if a crime happens. Whether your staff is in-office or remote, all employees should be up to date on security policies and special holiday circumstances.

5. Unplug All Unnecessary Devices

Businesses require many tools and technologies to run effectively, so it’s easy to leave everything running 24/7. However, leaving devices plugged in and powered on makes them a target of opportunity for hackers. This is especially important if a location will be closed for an extended period. When it’s time to shut down for the holidays, unplug anything that isn’t required to keep your business up and running to reduce your overall risk.

6. Adjust Property Access Privileges

You might be surprised to know that physical security is a cybercrime prevention tool as well. Doors and devices should be the most highly protected areas of your space. Before the holidays, be sure to do a thorough review of your business’ access privileges so that no one has more access than is necessary to perform their duties. And before shutting down for a much-needed break, check all exterior doors, windows, and other entry points to ensure they are fully secured. Don’t forget to update any automated systems to keep everything locked down before your return to work.

7. Don’t Advertise That You Will Be Closed

It’s common practice to alert customers when your business will be closed so that you can avoid any inconvenience. However, this practice could put your business at risk during times of the year when the crime rate is elevated, including the holiday season. Instead of posting signage or on social media declaring that no one will be in the building for a certain period, it’s better to use an automated voice or email response to alert customers of your closing. This way, crime opportunists will be less tempted.

8. Invest In Employee Safety Training

In addition to reviewing company security policies, businesses should also invest in employee safety training. This is also one of the most important things you can do when first hiring an employee. If an intruder breaches the network, your credentials are compromised, or someone accidentally clicks on a malicious link, workers need to know who to notify and what steps to take to mitigate risks.

9. Make Sure You Have a Solid Backup Strategy

The industry standard is the 3-2-1 backup strategy. A 3-2-1 strategy means having at least three total copies of your data, two of which are local but on different media, and at least one off-site copy (in the cloud).You should also have basic cybersecurity protocols, like multi-factor authentication, firewalls, and email encryption, in place.

10. Test Your Disaster Recovery Strategy

If you don’t have a disaster recovery strategy, this is the time to create one. If you do have one, this is also a great time to put it to the test. You should know going into the holidays that you can respond quickly and effectively should your company suffer a security breach.

Protecting Business Data During the Holidays

While it may be impossible to prevent all instances of data theft and cybercrime from happening, there are steps that companies can take to protect themselves.
These 10 business security tips will help you discover areas of your business that could use more protection, give you new ideas about preventing threats, and help empower your employees to have a safe and happy holiday season.