Safeguard Your Business: 5 Simple Steps to Boost Cybersecurity this Holiday Season

As the holiday season approaches, the hustle and bustle often extend to the digital realm, making it crucial for businesses to stay vigilant against cyber threats. At RISCPoint, we understand the importance of maintaining your security posture as your workforce is heading home for the holidays.

We have identified five straightforward steps to protect your business during the holidays:

1. Watch Out for Phishing Hooks

Phishing remains a top cyber threat, and the holiday season provides the perfect cover for cybercriminals to cast their nets. Train your employees to recognize phishing attempts by being cautious with unexpected emails, especially those containing festive greetings, enticing holiday offers, or seemingly urgent information, like an online order delay notification. Remind them to hover over links to preview the destination URL before clicking, and report any suspicious emails.

2. Secure Remote Work from Anywhere

With the festivities come the freedom to work from various locations, including coffee shops and other public spaces. However, these environments often have unsecured Wi-Fi networks. Even though they are free Wi-Fi connections, or even prompt you to sign in, they could still pose a threat. Ensure your remote workforce connects through virtual private networks (VPNs) to encrypt data transmission, minimizing the risk of unauthorized access, and advise everyone to exercise caution when connecting to public Wi-Fi, especially for work-related activities. Using a secure hotspot, or mobile data, and turning off sharing features is a best practice. Lastly, empower your employees with easy-to-follow guidelines for secure remote work practices.

3. Do a Double Take on Your Text Messages

Around the holidays, online shopping increases drastically. This is a prime opportunity for bad actors to send smishing text messages to your personal device, urgently telling you about a package delay or loss, while posing as a real delivery company. Be sure to check your original tracking numbers, or log into the website where you purchased your items, to check the actual delivery status. Never click on any suspicious links in text messages, especially from unknown numbers.  

4. Keep Devices Updated and Secure

The holiday season is an excellent time to ensure that all devices used for work, including laptops, tablets, and smartphones, are up-to-date with the latest security patches. Enable automatic updates to keep software and applications current, closing potential security loopholes. Additionally, implement endpoint protection solutions to safeguard devices against malware and other cyber threats.

5. Educate, Remind, Repeat

While these steps may seem simple, their effectiveness relies on continuous education and reinforcement. Regularly communicate with your team about cybersecurity best practices, emphasizing the importance of staying vigilant during the holiday season. Consider implementing periodic reminders through emails, team meetings, or quick-reference guides to keep cybersecurity at the forefront of everyone's minds.

We believe that simplicity and consistency is key to a resilient cybersecurity strategy. By following these five steps, you can significantly enhance your business's defenses against cyber threats this holiday season.

Wishing you a secure and joyful holiday!

RISCPoint