With the Christmas break fast approaching, it's important to remind your customers and policyholders to be vigilant about their online security. Cybercriminals often take advantage of the festive period to carry out fraudulent activities. The increase in purchases, frequent retailer communications, and reduced staff levels in businesses all provide prime opportunities for cyber threats to occur. Therefore, it's crucial for your customers to be aware of the risks and take steps to protect themselves online during this time.
No one wants to face a ransom demand, data breach, fraud, or business disruption during the season of celebration. So, here are some essential tips to share with your customers, policyholders, friends, or colleagues to ensure a secure and joyful holiday season.
Prepare for the Shutdown
Whether it's a well-deserved personal break or a business shutdown, robust preparation is key. For personal downtime, ensure multi-factor authentication is set up across all apps, devices are updated, and antivirus software is installed. Businesses should have an incident response plan in place, assign personnel to monitor accounts, patch vulnerabilities and update systems.
Don't Overshare
While it's tempting to share holiday moments online, customers need to be cautious. Cybercriminals thrive on absence, and broadcasting a Christmas party or vacation plans could be an invitation for trouble. Remind them to be mindful of what and when they post, keeping accounts set to private.
Stay Vigilant
Even in shutdown mode, vigilance is paramount. The surge in holiday purchases often accompanies an increase in phishing attempts, malicious websites, or other fraudulent activities such as credit card skimming. Warn customers to be cautious, pause, analyse, and verify any communications before engaging.
Avoid Public Connections
Whether travelling or shopping, advise customers to steer clear of public Wi-Fi. While convenient, public connections expose them to cyber threats. Encourage the use of private, password-protected connections or their mobile data instead.
Keep an Eye on Things
While the holiday break is a time to relax, customers should keep a watchful eye on their accounts. Regular checks, whether personal or business, can help identify any suspicious activity and minimise potential damage.
When it comes to cybersecurity - whether for personal use or business, a comprehensive cyber risk management tool can be invaluable in easing the stress of staying safe.
Our all-in-one risk management tools cater to both business and personal needs, empowering your customers or policyholders with the resources necessary for protection. If you're an insurer keen on monitoring your portfolio for cyber risks, our risk monitoring tool, Breach Check, is the perfect addition to your toolkit.
Curious to learn more? Reach out to our team for a guided tour of our software, helpline, and intelligence solutions.