Cybersecurity for Small Businesses During the Holiday Season

The festive season is fast approaching. Bells are jingling, halls are being decked and hosts are putting in their turkey orders. Depending on your business, I hope you’re experiencing a boost in orders, or a little down time to rest and look forward to the holidays.

Now, you know me, and how much I dislike being a Grinch, but the truth is, that as we get in the festive spirit, unfortunately, so are the cyber criminals. And not in the wholesome, Hallmark manner we would like.

It’s a time when small businesses need to be extra vigilant about their cybersecurity measures. The increase in online shopping and transactions during this time makes businesses more vulnerable to cyber attacks and it’s an important time to be up and running without interruptions so you can make the most of it in peace. If it’s a quiet period, it’s instead an opportunity to prepare for 2025.

Whatever your motivations, here are 9 key considerations for small businesses to enhance their cybersecurity posture during the festive period:

1. Prepare for Increased Online Traffic

With more customers shopping online during the holidays, your website may experience higher traffic. Ensure your hosting and security infrastructure can handle the increased load - without compromising security. Test your website, it’s funnels and purchase processes and monitor traffic to ensure downtime isn’t getting in the way of orders.

2. Secure Online Transactions

Implement robust encryption for all online transactions. Use secure payment gateways and ensure compliance with PCI DSS standards to protect customer financial information.

3. Be Wary of Seasonal Phishing Scams

Cybercriminals often use holiday-themed phishing emails to trick business owners and their team. Conduct special training sessions to help staff identify and report suspicious emails or messages.

4. Update and Patch Systems

Before the holiday rush, ensure all systems, software, and security tools are up-to-date. This includes point-of-sale systems, which are prime targets during busy shopping periods. Doing so, will help to clear your systems and devices of bugs and malware.

5. Implement Strong Access Controls

If you're hiring temporary staff for the holiday season, implement strict access controls. Provide only the necessary access rights and revoke them promptly when no longer needed.

6. Backup Critical Data

Regularly backup your business data, especially before the holiday season begins. In case of a ransomware attack, having recent backups can be crucial for business continuity.

7. Monitor for Unusual Activity

Implement and closely monitor intrusion detection systems. Be alert for any unusual network activity, especially during non-business hours.

8. Secure Remote Access

If employees are working remotely during the holidays, ensure secure connections through VPNs and multi-factor authentication.

9. Have an Incident Response Plan

Develop and review your incident response plan, no matter how simple. Ensure key personnel know their roles in case of a security breach, even during holiday hours. Have your backups ready, and know when, how and who you need to inform should you suffer a breach.

By focusing on these areas, you can significantly enhance your cybersecurity posture during the holiday season. Remember, cybersecurity is an ongoing process, and the holiday period requires extra attention to protect both your business and your customers.

Stay safe and have a lovely and secure holiday season!