Frosty the Firewall: Chillin’ Tips for a Secure Christmas

• by Anthony Orjally
• Advent IM Blog

Whilst Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year, it is also a very dangerous time as well. Typically, in December the cyber-crime rate tends to spike and according to the GovTech report 2023 isn’t going to be any different.

Here are some ways in which you could tighten up your security and reduce the chance of being hit by a cyber-crime during this time;

Don’t publicise your Holidays!

Whilst it can be very tempting to share your amazing experience during the Christmas holidays, it will also come at a huge risk as potential threats will be aware of your absence. Whilst away, there’s nothing you can do to prevent the attack from happening, so don’t give them any clue that your office is empty.

Secure Your Passwords…

This goes without saying, but you need to make sure that your passwords aren’t weak. The most common password in 2023 is ‘123456’ – don’t be a fool and use this! This can be a problem throughout the entire year but due to the spike of cyber-crimes in December, it’s better to be extra cautious during this time of year and be careful of what password we’re using.

No phone at the Christmas Party!

There is absolutely no need for you to take a work phone to a party. These are not work events so recording footage of your employees’ drunken antics and uploading the footage could result in serious consequences. In the moment, this may be funny but you could be facing legal action, so don’t do it. If you are in doubt of what’s acceptable be sure to read over your company’s policies such as its acceptable use and social media policies.

Another reason to not take your work phone is the risk of potentially losing it. Whilst having too much fun, your phone could slip out of a pocket. This same phone could contain private information and now be at risk of being stolen – therefore you shouldn’t take it.

Lock up your Premises

There should be a procedure in place for locking up the office, as it’s key to not falling victim to a burglary or vandalism attack. For those with CCTV watching over their premises, be sure to have signs posted up so that the potential criminals will know their face and actions will be recorded if they try anything (as a result, this also reduces the chance of your office being targeted).

Throughout Christmas not all companies will be closed with a small number of staff still working. Therefore, if there are members of staff that are still in the office, make sure that they’re all aware of the lock up procedures. Additionally, if there’s just one member of staff in, they need to be made aware of any policies regarding working alone.

To summarise, the ways in which you can reduce the likelihood of falling victim to a cyber attack or physical crime, is to be extra cautious on what you’re already (likely) doing. For example, your offices should be locked anyway when leaving the building but having CCTV signs up is the extra protection. Enjoy your holidays… but don’t get complacent!