Keep your business cyber resilient over the holiday season2 min read

As we head into the holiday season, retailers and other businesses may notice an increase in attempted cyberattacks. Especially as buying gifts for friends and family is increasingly done online, hackers may use the season to infiltrate your systems to steal personal identifiable information, such as card details. Even those shopping in person may find their details compromised; some cyberattackers have actually previously targeted the payment software and systems used in-store.

The National Cyber Security Centre has recently released a pre-emptive study of small to medium sized retailers across the UK, identifying over 4,000 potentially insecure systems. Knowing this now – and taking appropriate mitigation measures – could be instrumental in stopping potentially damaging cyberattacks against these retailers. And it’s not just SMEs that should be worried; larger organisations can face similar risks, from the systems they use to process payments to other third-party risks.

That’s why it is key to be proactive about your organisation’s digital and cybersecurity risk. There are several steps your organisation can take to avoid being hacked this holiday season, starting with regularly patching any software and systems that your organisation uses, and keeping up with any news about hacks that could have an adverse effect on your cybersecurity posture. Additionally, using a digital risk management platform, like CyDesk, can help you keep track of ongoing and emerging risks to your organisation from your third parties and beyond, by providing your organisation with a continuous view into your risk profile.

The holidays are a hectic time as people prepare for the new year, so keep the stress levels low by managing your digital risk this year, and preventing damaging and costly cyberattacks. Of course, there will always be hackers trying to take advantage of this time, but by ensuring that your organisation is cyber resilient, you can keep the holiday season merry and joyful.