As lots of businesses prepare to wind down for the festive period, cyber criminals are gearing up for their busiest time of the year. For CISOs (Chief Information Security Officers) and company IT leads, this means that the festive period is often far from relaxing. The combination of reduced staffing, increased phishing attempts, and rising ransomware attacks makes Christmas a peak stress point for businesses’ IT or security leads, with more of them affected by burnout and mental health struggles.
With digital transformation well in hand throughout almost all businesses, we have reached a point where almost all processes are digitally vulnerable. While this, of course, aims to increase efficiency and optimise working practices, it means that businesses face increased cyber risk and CISOs face greater demands.
With 62% of cyber security leaders feeling pressure to work late nights or weekends and 37% facing unrealistic expectations of their role, according to Gartner*, it’s no surprise that the festive rush can exacerbate these stresses.
Why is Christmas a High-Risk Period for Cyber Security?
- Phishing Frenzy: Fake festive e-cards, delivery notifications, and charity appeals lure employees into clicking malicious links. Despite widespread awareness of the concept, phishing remains the top attack vector.
- Skeleton IT Teams: Reduced staffing slows response times, while remote work can create additional vulnerabilities.
- Unpatched Systems: Delayed updates leave businesses exposed to known exploits.
- Supply Chain Vulnerabilities: The festive rush can lead to security gaps in partnerships and transactions.
- Social Engineering: Fraudsters exploit festive cheer, tricking employees with urgent requests that appear to come from trusted sources.
“Cyber criminals are opportunists,” says Matt Jones, Chief Defensive Security Officer at PureCyber. “They exploit the unique mix of distractions, absences, and goodwill that define the festive season.”
Reducing Cyber Risks Over Christmas
To mitigate these risks, PureCyber recommends:
- Training Staff: Regular awareness training reinforces vigilance, particularly around phishing.
- Auditing Systems: Address vulnerabilities, ensure backups are operational, and test your incident response plans.
- Implementing MFA and Limiting Access: Strengthen access controls and restrict critical system access to essential personnel.
- Planning Incident Response: Clearly define roles and have backup contacts ready for rapid responses.
- Using Managed Security Services: A 24/7 monitoring service can detect and respond to threats in real time, reducing pressure on in-house teams.
“These measures create a robust defence, not just for the festive season but throughout the year,” says Jon Stock, Chief Information Risk Officer at PureCyber. “Engaging your employees and implementing strong processes are key to reducing your risk.”
Your Trusted Partner
Understanding the pressures CISOs face is central to PureCyber’s mission. Its 24/7 Security Operations Centre and expert-led solutions are designed to integrate seamlessly with your team, providing comprehensive protection without adding to your workload.
With a 24/7 security operations centre, you will have peace of mind that your digital environments are protected at all times, despite the chaos of the festive season, and you can be confident in your processes and protections that are built with cyber security experts.
Don’t let cybersecurity concerns cast a shadow over the festive season. Discover PureCyber’s simple 7-step checklist for a stress-less festive period, or contact PureCyber to talk about how they can help you secure a safer, less demanding Christmas and beyond.
ENDS