As the Christmas break gets closer, many businesses start winding down for some well earned time off. Offices get quieter, staff work from home more often and day to day checks naturally slow down. Unfortunately, this is exactly when cyber criminals become more active. With fewer people watching for issues, the chance of an attack slipping through is much higher.

At Edmondson's we help businesses stay protected all year, and the festive period’s no different. Here’s how to keep your business cyber secure over Christmas while giving your team a safe, stress free break.

Stay alert to phishing attempts

Phishing remains one of the most common and dangerous threats. Criminals often take advantage of the busy run up to Christmas by sending fake delivery notices, invoice requests or login prompts. These emails can look convincing at first glance, but they’re designed to steal login details or infect devices with malware.

Remind your team to look out for odd URLs, spelling mistakes, unexpected attachments or anything that seems rushed or urgent. If they’re unsure, they shouldn’t click anything. At Edmondson's we can run phishing awareness training to make sure your staff feel confident spotting the signs.

Refresh staff awareness before heading off

A quick reminder before everyone signs off for the holidays can make a huge difference. Encourage staff to double check emails, lock devices, avoid public Wi-Fi and report anything suspicious straight away. It’s also worth confirming who to contact if a problem pops up during the break.

If you’ve got new starters or a team that hasn’t had training for a while, this is a great time to give them a short update. Cyber security relies on everyone working together, and a little awareness goes a long way.

Make sure everyone’s using a secure VPN

If staff are working from home over Christmas, a VPN is essential. It encrypts data, keeping info safe when people connect to your systems remotely. Without a VPN, attackers can intercept traffic or gain access through insecure networks.

Before the break, test your VPN’s working properly and check that staff can log in without issues. If you need a secure, reliable setup, Edmondson's provides fully managed VPN solutions that keep your business safe wherever your team’s working.

Check device security and updates

Unpatched software is one of the easiest ways for attackers to get in. Make sure staff devices have all the latest updates installed and that antivirus protection’s switched on and up to date. If you use device management tools, it’s worth running a quick check to confirm everything’s compliant before the holiday.

If staff take laptops or mobiles home, remind them to use strong passwords, lock screens and avoid leaving devices unattended. It only takes one lost or unsecured device to cause a major problem.

Review your backups and test them

Ransomware attacks often increase over holiday periods because they’re less likely to be noticed straight away. That’s why tested, reliable backups are essential. Make sure your backups are running on schedule and that at least one copy’s stored off site or in the cloud.

With the right preparation, you can protect your business from common cyber threats and enjoy a smooth, worry free Christmas break. If you want help reviewing your cyber security, backups or remote access setup, Edmondson's is here to support you.

Get in touch with our team for guidance or to book a free IT health check before the holidays.