Strengthening Cybersecurity During the Holiday Season

The holiday season is a time for relaxation and enjoyment, but it's also a prime opportunity for cyberattackers to launch more aggressive campaigns. With many people taking a well-deserved break, it's a great time to be targeted for a cyberattack. You are more relaxed, not necessarily following your usual routine, which makes it easier to fall for fraudulent emails or compromised links.

While cybercriminal activity extends throughout the year, various studies show that the summer is one of the peaks of the year in terms of criminal activity in all areas, and cybersecurity is no exception. In 2024, it was estimated that attacks increased by an average of 30%.

Cyberattacks increase during summer months.

Why Do Cyberattacks Peak in Summer?

First, remote work intensifies. The beach, the mountains too many attractions not to embrace teleworking. Employees connect from less controlled locations, such as second homes, hotels, or airports, using public or unsecured Wi-Fi networks. Employees who are not used to working remotely on a regular basis may not be aware or have adequate knowledge of good digital practices. They may avoid taking the company laptop and rely on their personal devices with fewer security measures, which may not have the latest anti-virus software, therefore increasing their exposure to risk.

During the summer, attackers know that many IT and cybersecurity teams are operating with more limited resources with employees on holiday. This is a perfect time for attackers to strike with phishing campaigns and other targeted attacks, as they are aware that there are fewer staff to detect and react to them. There is also the physical risk of devices being lost or stolen and the danger of sensitive personal data getting into the wrong hands.

From a personal perspective, there is the additional activity typical of summer: online reservations, online shopping, and so on. Cybercriminals use it to their advantage, launching phishing campaigns that perfectly imitate emails from airlines, apartments, or payment platforms. Ultimately, summer isn’t just a time of rest; it’s also a time when companies must take extreme precautions and keep their cybersecurity policies active.

Never Let Your Guard Down

Don’t lower your level of surveillance; ensure you reinforce it through training and communication. Reviewing continuity plans, reinforcing monitoring with automated tools, protecting remote access with strong authentication, enforcing password changes, keeping response teams operational, and, above all, raising internal awareness of risks inherent to the summer period are all critical measures. Designing an awareness campaign before the holidays can make a real difference.

Review how, from where, and with what protection employees connect during the summer. Ensure clear policies regarding data use and storage outside the office. Phishing drills, operational reminders, and training sessions all help.

For smaller or understaffed teams, consider AI-based automation that can detect behavioural anomalies and contain threats. It's important to implement a cross-functional cybersecurity culture, where all employees, not just the IT or Cyber departments, know how to act, what signs to look for, and what they shouldn’t do. Engaging in practical and regular training can make a difference and significantly strengthen the organisation’s cybersecurity culture.

By taking these steps, you can help ensure that your personal devices, company equipment, and personal information remain secure during the holiday season and beyond. Stay vigilant and enjoy your well-deserved break!