Stay cyber-aware this festive season: how to protect your business and personal data

The festive season is a time for celebration, connection and well-earned downtime, but unfortunately, it’s also one of the busiest times of year for cybercriminals. As people rush to finish online shopping, manage end-of-year admin and take annual leave, cybercriminals see an opportunity to exploit distraction and reduced staffing levels.

At Fusion Technology Solutions, we want to help you stay protected throughout the Christmas period and beyond. Here’s how to stay cyber-aware this festive season.

Why cyber threats increase at Christmas

Cybercriminals take advantage of several seasonal factors:

• Higher online shopping activity means more delivery notifications, order confirmations and tracking links, making it easier to disguise phishing attempts.
• Reduced office staffing means fewer people monitoring systems or spotting suspicious activity.
• Employees working remotely around Christmas often use unsecured networks or personal devices.
• A sense of urgency created by “last-minute deals”, Christmas deadlines and fake alerts encourage rushed decision-making.

With so much going on, it only takes one misplaced click to compromise an entire system.

Common festive season cyber threats

Understanding the most common festive scams will help you spot red flags quickly.

1. Fake delivery notifications

Scammers send texts or emails claiming to be from Royal Mail, DPD, Evri or Amazon. These usually include tracking links or requests for “re-delivery fees” that lead to malicious websites.

2. Christmas-themed phishing emails

Fraudsters use festive subject lines like “Secret Santa list”, “Urgent invoice before shutdown” or “Festive rewards waiting” to entice employees to open malware-laced attachments.

3. Charity scams

The festive season sees a spike in fraudulent donation websites and fake social media appeals. Always verify charities before donating.

4. Gift card and voucher scams

Attackers often impersonate colleagues or senior leadership asking staff to urgently purchase gift cards, particularly common in December.

5. Social engineering via festive messages

Friendly greetings, e-cards or personalised “festive updates” can be used to harvest login credentials.

How to stay cyber-aware over the festive period

• Be cautious with all links and attachments: Whether it’s a delivery update or a Christmas e-card, treat any unexpected message with suspicion. Verify the sender before clicking.
• Use strong, unique passwords: Now is a great time to refresh your passwords and ensure they’re not reused across multiple accounts.
• Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA): MFA adds a vital layer of protection, especially when employees work remotely during the festive break.
• Update all software and devices: Ensure that laptops, phones and business systems have the latest security patches installed before staff go on leave.
• Be careful on public or home Wi-Fi: If remote access is required, use a VPN and avoid logging into business systems on unsecured networks.
• Verify all unexpected requests: If someone emails asking for urgent payments, gift card purchases or confidential data, always confirm through a separate communication channel.

Stay protected this Christmas

Cybercriminals don’t take time off for Christmas, but with the right awareness and security practices, you can significantly reduce your risk.

At Fusion Technology Solutions, we’re here to support you through the festive season and beyond. If you’d like help strengthening your cyber security, updating your IT infrastructure or training your team, get in touch on 01245 455510.

Stay safe, stay secure, and have a very happy Christmas from all of us at Fusion!