‘Tis the Season for Holiday Cybercrime

 

’Tis the Season for Holiday Cybercrime

’Tis the Season for Holiday Cybercrime, as online shopping, shipping updates, digital deals, and year-end business activity hit their peak. Unfortunately, cybercriminals take advantage of this seasonal surge, using holiday-themed phishing emails, fake delivery alerts, fraudulent online stores, and charity scams to target both individuals and businesses. With distractions high, charitable giving on the rise, and reduced business staffing due to PTO or holiday hours, attackers find ideal conditions for launching successful scams. Understanding these seasonal risk factors is key to protecting your data, your money, and your organization.

Holiday Phishing Scams & Fake Delivery Alerts

One of the most prevalent threats is phishing, which becomes especially effective during the holiday shopping rush. Employees and consumers are inundated with legitimate order confirmations and shipping updates, making fraudulent “missed delivery” alerts blend seamlessly into inboxes. Add in the seasonal stress, urgency, and multitasking that accompany the holidays, and people are more likely to click without verifying links or senders.

Cybercriminals exploit that lack of vigilance, using convincing branding and timing to lure users into credential-harvesting sites or payment scams.

Ransomware and Business-Focused Attacks During the Holidays

Organizations face heightened risk during the holidays due to staffing patterns. With many teams taking PTO, operating with skeleton crews, or running reduced IT monitoring, attackers see an opportunity. Reduced oversight combined with year-end workflows — such as invoice processing, sales pushes, financial closeout, and vendor payments — creates a fertile environment for:

• Ransomware
• Business email compromise
• Fake invoices and purchase orders
• Malicious holiday-themed apps
• Employee-targeted phishing campaigns

Attackers rely on decreased vigilance and delayed response times. If backups, access controls, or monitoring tools aren’t actively overseen, even a small breach can escalate quickly.

Holiday Cybersecurity Best Practices

• Slow down and verify before clicking. Avoid reacting to unsolicited “urgent” messages. Navigate directly to official sites whenever possible.
• Strengthen account security. Use strong passwords, enable MFA, and scrutinize login or payment-reset prompts.
• For businesses: maintain proactive cybersecurity. Keep systems patched, ensure backups are current, monitor access logs, and avoid leaving critical infrastructure unattended. Prepare staff with seasonal scam-awareness training.

 

Stay Secure and Enjoy the Season

The holidays should bring celebration — not cybersecurity incidents. By staying alert, enforcing good cyber hygiene, and preparing your team for seasonal threats, you can protect your organization and your customers from the surge in holiday cybercrime. A little vigilance now can prevent major disruptions later and keep the season joyful and secure. For more information on how you can protect your business from cyber attack, contact Team BTS!