Cyber Attacks During Christmas Holidays

In addition to being a time for festivities , holidays, get-togethers with family, and exchanging gifts, the holidays are also a prime time for attackers to exploit the increased online activity. The likelihood of cyberattacks increases in tandem with the surge in internet commerce. This blog examines the reasons for the rise in cyberthreats around the holidays, typical scams to watch out for, and ways that businesses and individuals can keep safe during this hectic period.

The Reasons for the Increase in Cyber Attacks Over the Christmas Holidays

An Increase in Internet Purchases

As more people shop online, online scams and cyberattacks are increasingly likely to occur. Global online sales are predicted to reach over $4.1 trillion in 2024. Due to enormous transacting, fraudsters see this as a perfect chance to take advantage of gaps in digital security.

Distractions During the Holidays

The excitement of the season, whether it be the holiday rush, travel, or present planning, diverts a lot of customers. This easy going attitude may cause irresponsible internet conduct, such as clicking on malicious links or falling for phishing scams.

Understaffed Security Teams

During the holiday season, many companies cut employees, which leaves their cybersecurity teams overwhelmed , Or some companies give breaks to their cyber staff. Organizations that have fewer resources face hard time to keep an eye on networks and react to threats are more vulnerable to cyberattacks.

The Holiday Season's Most Frequent Scams

Phishing emails

Phishing is one of the most popular attack techniques used over the holidays. Cybercriminals send emails with Christmas themes that look like they are from reputable companies or service providers in the hopes that you will click on a harmful link or divulge personal information. Actually, research indicates that phishing attempts are the starting point for up to 95% of cyberattacks.

Fake E-commerce Websites

Malicious threat actors frequently make fake e-commerce websites that closely resemble popular online markets. They entice customers with amazing discounts, only to either never complete the order or steal their credit card information.

SEO Poisoning

This is a type of attack where Threat actors use search engine optimization to bring the malicious website in top ranks under various search engines. By default a normal user would click the very first website that is presented to them. Many threat actors have used this method to lure and perform spearheaded attacks against specific country/Organization

Distributed Denial of Service

DDoS attacks cause web servers to become unresponsive by flooding them with malicious traffic. Businesses are severely disrupted by these attacks, which frequently take place during high purchasing demand, like Cyber Monday or Black Friday.

Tips for Safe Online Shopping

Verify Website Authenticity

Before authorizing any purchase, always verify if the website is a legit one by checking for spelling for any look alike character trying to impersonate.

Refrain from falling for unrealistic offers

Threat actors rely upon attracting victims by advertising unrealistic offers, This is often false or malicious in most cases.

Use Secure Payment Methods

se third party payment relay services that hide your card information and provide a temporary card for every transaction.

What Businesses Can Do to Protect Themselves

Business owners, too, face a heightened risk of cyber attacks during the holidays. Here are a few steps companies can take to safeguard their operations:

Strengthen Cybersecurity Measures

Before the holiday season every business should review their cyber action plan for any incidents that could potentially occur.

Educate Employees

With a very high volume of workload and with minimal staff, employees are more likely to fall for scams or phishing schemes. A special employee education program must be conducted before every holiday. This should also focus on new and emerging threats such as using new generation AI for cyber scams.

Monitor Systems Continuously:

Increase vigilance of machine critical systems. Also continuous monitoring of your systems will help you quickly identify and address any unusual activity, minimizing the risk of a security breach.

What Businesses Can Do to Protect Themselves

Establish a Plan With Dedicated Response Team

Work with your security team to identify on-call personnel who can help during critical incidents.

Develop a Flexible Incident Response Plan

Create a simple using a standard such as (NIST or SANS), outlining clear steps for detection, containment, and recovery.

Perform Tabletop Exercises: Run cybersecurity drills to test your team's readiness by following the defined standard of IR Playbook.

Consider Managed Detection Services

If resources are limited, explore managed detection and response (MDR) providers who can provide comprehensive threat management during holiday periods

Final Thoughts

As the holiday season is nearing , both customers and businesses need to stay aware of the evolving cyber attacks during Christmas holidays. By understanding the types of scams that are common this time of year and taking proactive steps to protect your data and systems, you can enjoy a safer, more secure holiday season. Whether you’re shopping for gifts or managing a business, staying informed and vigilant is the key to staying protected.

If you require any type of cyber security related services please contact us via info@securedots.in