‘Tis the season when every business is at its busiest. Sales and customer engagement are expected to peak, especially in industries such as retail, logistics, and hospitality. But did you know that this is also the busiest time for cyber attacks? Cybersecurity firms are also gearing up against this kind of holiday battle. As a business owner, below are some key tips to keep your digital assets safe as you enjoy reeling in the holiday profits.
Cyber attackers have a lot of ways to make businesses suffer in the midst of the holiday cheer! For example, they can launch a DDOS attack on retail websites that would not be able to identify and respond to it quickly due to constraints in talent and energy. Similarly, cybersecurity firms also re-issue the warning on phishing attacks using various means such as emails. Furthermore, with the increase in traffic retailer sites that can bot traffic can ride on to. These bots copy high demand products and create spoof sites and offers that target consumers. As customers are lured into the fake websites, usually created to look very legit, their personal and financial information are mined. The copied business then gets involved in the fallout resulting in damage to reputation and loss of customer trust.
Here are some steps you can take to avoid these holiday scams.
The best way to avoid getting conned is to know that the threat is real. Let your staff and your customers know about phishing and what to watch out for. Prior to the peak of the holiday rush reorient your staff on how to spot suspicious emails and fraudulent communication. You can ask one of your trusted cybersecurity firms for a cybersecurity training, if needed. In the same vein, issue advertisements on various platforms to customers regarding your products or websites so they will not fall for the copycats created by cyber criminals.
Always remind your staff to report any activity they find suspicious, no matter how small. Ensure that you create a safe space or way for them to do so. It would be best if there is a protocol or a company policy in place to reinforce this. Additionally, you can assign a line of communication, whether email or online access where the evidence of possible attacks can be sent. This will greatly help in speeding up the response time to these threats.
If you haven’t done your regular checks on all your digital assets, this may be the best time to do so. Revisit all your websites, social media accounts, emails, and other platforms. Make sure to review for any unauthorized access and remove them. Likewise, update login information by creating strong passwords or using a password manager. Cybersecurity firms also strongly suggest enabling multi-factor authentication (MFAs). Lastly, optimize privacy settings for a safer online presence.
Strengthen your defenses using intelligent cybersecurity tools and software. Choose those that can notify you of any real-time threats such as impostors or deceitful accounts trying to access your company’s system.
Cybercriminals are professionals in their field and are able to exploit even the smallest vulnerability. Doing cybersecurity on your own can be very risky. Here at EB Solution, we understand the concerns that most small and medium businesses have. That is why we make sure to offer expert and professional IT and cybersecurity solutions at a scaled-down cost to meet SME owners. Don’t be shy to schedule your consultation with us. We would love to share our solutions with you so you can maximize this year’s holiday rush for your business without worry!