Thanksgiving comes as a needed break for everyone, and that includes your business IT team. However employees might be relaxing, but cyber threats are always heating something fierce. Cyber-attacks are often common during holidays like Thanksgiving since hackers know businesses run with less staff. Companies need to remain alert by utilizing managed IT services to strengthen their defenses and secure their business IT systems from threats during this time. Here’s how to have a cyber-safe Thanksgiving.
Why Cybersecurity Threats Increase During Thanksgiving
Holidays are attractive to cybercriminals. With many employees offline, fewer eyes monitor IT systems, making businesses vulnerable to attacks. Picture this: your office is quiet, the IT team is enjoying their break, and a “vendor” email slips through to an employee’s inbox. The email appears legitimate, even featuring a holiday discount. With one click, ransomware could infiltrate your network, encrypting data and demanding a hefty payment to restore access.
This scenario is real and increasingly common. Studies show that cyber-attacks can increase by as much as 30% over holidays. But there’s good news: proactive steps can protect your business IT from holiday cyber threats.
Step 1: Reinforce Defenses with Managed IT Services
The first move toward cybersecurity during Thanksgiving is reinforcing your defenses. Managed IT services can perform a comprehensive review of your systems, identifying weak points that need fixing before the holiday. They can assist in updating software, tightening firewall settings, and establishing 24/7 monitoring to catch any suspicious activity when your team isn’t around.
The advantage of using managed IT services is the continuous support they provide. Even when your team is out of the office, these services keep an eye on your network, helping reduce risks and keeping potential threats at bay.
Step 2: Brief Employees on Cybersecurity
Educating your team is crucial. A quick reminder about holiday cybersecurity can make a big difference. Phishing emails—disguised as friendly holiday messages or discounts—are especially prevalent during Thanksgiving, attempting to lure employees into clicking harmful links.
Take, for example, a story of a small company that fell victim to the “CEO scam.” An employee received an email from what appeared to be the CEO, urgently requesting a funds transfer to a “new vendor.” The email seemed genuine, but it was a phishing attack. Verifying requests over the phone or with an in-person check could have prevented a costly mistake.
Encourage employees to follow basic security practices: stay off public Wi-Fi for work, log out of business accounts if leaving their computers unattended, and avoid clicking on unexpected emails or links. These small actions can collectively bolster your company’s cybersecurity during the holiday.
Step 3: Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is another way to protect your business IT systems. It adds an additional layer of security that makes it so that if someone does have your login information, they cannot access your system without a second authentication code. Managed IT services can configure MFA for your most important accounts, another layer in the defense against unauthorized entry.
Consider this real-life example where MFA prevented a costly breach for a business: after an employee was tricked into revealing their login details via a phishing email, but because MFA was enabled, the hacker couldn’t access the account without the second verification. It’s a simple but effective tool that’s particularly helpful during holidays when IT staff may not be available to respond immediately.
Step 4: Conduct a Pre-Holiday Security Checkup
Schedule a cyber security check-up before Thanksgiving. Managed IT services are able to conduct this review by examining firewall logs, scanning for vulnerabilities, and verifying that backups have occurred and are securely stored. In the event of a ransomware attack, reliable backups mean you can restore critical data without paying a ransom.
In a worst-case scenario, a backup plan will save your business from a huge loss. Managed IT services can help you set this up so you can rest easy this holiday season, confident that your data is protected.
Wishing you a Safe and Secure Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving should be a time for relaxation, not stress over potential cyber threats. By reinforcing your defenses, educating employees, enabling MFA, and conducting a security check, you can protect your business IT systems from holiday cyber risks. For businesses seeking expert guidance, PCS can offer support. With PCS’s comprehensive support, your company gains the advantage of constant monitoring, proactive solutions, and a team dedicated to keeping your IT systems secure, even during the holidays. Partner with PCS to ensure a worry-free Thanksgiving, knowing your cybersecurity is in capable hands.
Want to learn more about PCS Cybersecurity Solutions? Contact us today!