When you think of the holidays, you think of spending your time with loved ones, gift-giving, and holiday cheer; unfortunately, cybercriminals do the same with different intentions. Traveling to spend time with family and friends means individuals are distracted. Email inboxes become overloaded with holiday deals and messages, frazzling customers and making them more susceptible to fraud.
It’s particularly important to remain vigilant against cyberattacks this time of the year as both the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) warn of an increase in these malicious attacks that will typically begin after Cyber Monday.
In this blog, we will dive into the potential cyber threats that loom over the holidays, warning signs to watch out for, and how Telesystem can assist in keeping your businesses and employees safe during this holiday season.
The Most Wonderful Time of Year… For Cyberattacks
Every year, the holidays bring more than just festive cheer and a big man dressed in a red suit: they also bring a reliable upswing in cyberattacks. From major retailers like Macy's, PoshMark, and Adidas to attacks that pose a threat to national security, like the 2020 SolarWinds hack, and even cyberattacks that resulted in a national shortage of cream cheese, cybercriminals are always on the lookout for vulnerabilities to exploit.
It's pretty evident that the holiday season is the perfect time for malicious actors to strike. But what makes this time of year so attractive for cybercriminals?
Increased Online Activity: During the holiday season, people are more active online. Whether it's shopping for gifts, making travel arrangements, or sending season's greetings, digital activity spikes significantly. According to cybersecurity experts, there's often a20% increase in email traffic during the holidays. This surge provides cybercriminals with a larger pool of potential targets to attack.
Distraction and Hectic Schedules: The holiday season is known for its hustle and bustle, making individuals more vulnerable to cyberattacks. People are juggling parties, travel plans, family gatherings, and the stress of gift-buying. Cybercriminals exploit these moments of inattention, leading to a 63% increase in malware infections during the holidays.
Business on Break: Organizations are especially susceptible to ransomware threats, phishing attacks, and other dangers during the holiday season, as November, December, and January represent ideal times for many employees to use paid time off. With fewer eyes on computer systems, there's less chance of malware being spotted in a timely manner. This makes long weekends and other holiday periods ideal for cybercrime.
Employee Use of Work Devices: In an increasingly connected world, employees may use work devices for personal activities, including online shopping during working hours. A recent study found that 69% of employees admit to shopping online while on the clock, creating potential vulnerabilities within the workplace. Cybercriminals can exploit these practices, as a compromised work device can have far-reaching consequences, especially during the holiday season.
In other words, the holiday season assembles the perfect storm of circumstances for malicious attackers to strike and succeed, and it's important for companies to take steps to protect themselves during this time of heightened vulnerability. The first step is understanding the different types of holidays cyberattacks so that appropriate measures can be taken to prevent them.
Common Types of Holiday Cybercrime
During the holiday season, cybercriminals employ various tactics to target individuals and businesses. A crucial step in protecting your company is understanding these common holiday cyberattacks:
Being aware of these types of holiday cybercrime is the first step in protecting your business. However, education should not stop there. Let's explore the ways your business and employees can stay protected this holiday season.
How Telesystem Can Protect Your Business and Employees this Holiday Season:
It goes without saying that one should always keep best security practices in mind during the holiday season: never click on suspicious links, never download email attachments before checking the sender's address and legitimacy, stay away from fishy websites, use complicated passwords, change those passwords frequently, and utilize multi-factor authentication mechanisms.
However, cybercriminals have mastered the art of deception, and there is only so much one can do. Which is why we’ve outlined a few solutions necessary to ensure cybercriminals do not steal the joy out of your holiday season.
Employee Security Awareness Training
While cybercriminals pose a significant threat, it's crucial to note that 92% of data breaches are caused by human error. Even minor oversights can have catastrophic consequences for companies during the holiday season. Hackers often exploit human weaknesses to access sensitive information, hence, even the most advanced defense system cannot prevent data breaches caused by human error.
At Telesystem, we recognize the increased risks of holiday cybercrime and provide a comprehensive solution to safeguard your business through cybersecurity awareness training. Our training equips your employees with the tools and knowledge to thwart cyber threats. By educating your staff on red flags such as spam, phishing, malware, ransomware, and social engineering, we reduce the likelihood of common employee mistakes that hackers use to gain access to valuable data, systems, and programs. Knowledge and education on common cybercrime strategies such as those disguised as tempting holiday promotions prevents employees from falling victim to scams that usually circulate during the holiday season. With our cybersecurity awareness training, you can be confident that your employees have the necessary knowledge and equipment to prevent cyber threats and safeguard your business this holiday season and beyond.
Advanced Email protection
Phishing attempts are a common cybersecurity attack that rise as much as 400% between October and November, and it is easy to see why; employees are bombarded with triple the amount of emails, including holiday promotions, deals, shipment confirmations, and charity donations, on top of their usual workload and holiday preparations. With malicious files and embedded links disguised as harmless holiday-themed content, employees can easily fall prey to cyberattacks.
This reality was highlighted in late January of 2020 when the largest package delivery company in the world, UPS, discovered that an unauthorized group successfully devised a phishing scheme to gain entry into the email accounts of numerous store locations. The breach occurred and went undetected between the end of September to early January, when the holiday shopping frenzy starts every year, which is also UPS’s busiest season. The breach exposed sensitive customer data, including names, addresses, and payment card information, creating a distressing situation for the affected customers, ultimately affecting their trust in the company.
As seen through UPS’s cyberattack, email security has never been more critical. Telesystem's Advanced Email Protector offers a comprehensive solution to keep your employees and business safe this holiday season. It guards against spam, email viruses, and malware, as well as other forms of email-based attacks that are frequently overlooked. Additionally, it offers encryption and screening of outbound emails to prevent critical internal information from being mistakenly sent by your staff.
Cybercriminals use this time of year to prey on employees' emotions, whether they are busy, stressed, excited, or distracted by holiday plans. By leveraging this change in mood, attackers can easily trick employees into clicking on a malicious link or making a poor judgment call. With our comprehensive email security program, employees can focus on their job duties, finishing up last-minute holiday shopping, and spending time with family without worrying about a potential cyber threat compromising their entire company.
Managed Security Operations Center
The holiday season is a time for joy and celebration but is also a time that cybercriminals take advantage of reduced security measures many organizations have in place. Last Christmas, Cott Systems, a cloud-based software provider, was hit by a cyberattack. The attack disrupted the vital record systems of at least six government offices in North Carolina, including the county register of deeds, which holds valuable birth and death certificates, posing a significant threat to the security and privacy of county residents.
Unfortunately, significant cyberattacks often occur when there are fewer staff members around to detect and respond to them, making Christmas an especially vulnerable time. Hackers use this opportunity to infiltrate networks, and the longer it takes for anyone to notice, the more damage they can do. However, you and your employees do not have to be a victim of cybercrime this holiday season. Telesystem’s suite of cybersecurity solutions can help take the stress off your business and employees.
Telesystem has the Cybersecurity Solutions You Need
Amidst all the preparations and celebrations of the holiday season, it is easy to forget about lurking cyber threats. At Telesystem, we believe your company's integrity and security should never have to be compromised. We want to help you enjoy a worry-free holiday season with our state-of-the-art cybersecurity resources. With our Employee Awareness Training, Advanced Email Protection, and Managed Security Operations Center, we offer an unwavering commitment to your company, ensuring that cybercriminals won't be able to spread their version of "holiday cheer" to your devices. So, while you're busy cooking, shopping, and spending time with loved ones, let Telesystem provide you with the ultimate gift: peace of mind.