How to Protect Your Data During the Holidays
The holiday is often an important season for every business. It is a time when there is high revenue and increased customer engagement. The days are hectic with increased daily operations to meet orders and also to round up for the year. This is also the perfect time to overlook the protection of your data. In the euphoria of the season, there are certain dos and don’ts. Your personal and business data has to be secure. Internet fraud increases during the holiday and it is thus important that you protect yourself, and your business. Why Data Protection Matters During the Holidays The holiday season often sees a surge in internet scams, sometimes up to a 500% increase. Because of this, taking your data protection seriously during the holiday is crucial. Ideally, data protection should be any business’s priority all year round but special attention is needed during the holidays. This is because the chances of getting busier and overlooking your data are high. Data protection also matters during the holiday because there is often a work break. The company staff will be given some days or weeks off to stay away from work. During this time, cybercriminals can try hacking into your data. Loosely protected data with no one around can lead to data loss or data breaches. Common Data Threats During the Holiday Season To better understand why it is important to protect your data during the holiday, let’s see some common threats. These are some of the common data threats during the holiday season: These threats are just the most common ones, the list still goes on. Now that you know that a lot of darts have been thrown at you, let’s see how your data can be protected. Tips for Securing Your Personal Information During the Holiday To protect your personal data during the holiday season, there are several things that you can do. 1. Only use safe websites. Tendencies of doing a lot of things online are very high during the holiday. Booking travel tickets, shopping online and spending more time on social media. When doing all of these, be sure to use the official websites only. Also, ensure the website has “https” in the URL. If you doubt the safety of the website, you can use Norton Safe Web, a free scanning tool that helps users identify malicious websites. 2. Use PIN/Passcodes on your devices before leaving. This can be your first line of protection for your data during the holiday. It is common knowledge that theft is a high thing during the festive season. In the case where your laptop or phone is stolen or misplaced, it will be harder for the would-be criminal to gain access if there is a passcode. Do this now, it takes no time. 3. Turn off automatic Bluetooth connectivity. Having an automatic Bluetooth is a great thing for your device. But Bluetooth is also another means through which criminals can hack into your device through a simple connection. This can happen quickly and without you knowing a thing. Take a moment to avoid this threat by turning off Bluetooth during this holiday. Other things you can do to secure your personal data during the holiday are: Best Practices for Protecting Business Data In addition to the points stated above for personal security, there are a few things you can add to ensure the safety of your business. 1. Train your staff on cybersecurity. Equipping your staff with the appropriate knowledge is the first line of safety to protecting your business data during the holiday. You can start by reviewing policies like the Mobile Device Management and Incident Response Plan. You should remind your employees to separate personal devices from work usage. This is because when cyber criminals attack the personal device of a staff member, they can have access to several pieces of information on it, including business information. 2. Be Careful With Funds The holiday season is also when you have to keep some measure around your company’s money. Since your revenue will most likely go up, you must keep up-to-date invoices for suspicious activities. 3. Be aware of the law. Be conscious of any local regulations on data protection and compliance that can affect your business. You must know how GPDR affects you and the provision of the law for cases of breach in data. 4. Encrypt Information Since cybercriminals use the holiday season to gain access to the systems of companies, encrypting your information is another way to keep your business safe. It is best to encrypt all data at all times but if you haven’t done that, then now is the next ideal time to implement. You can use software like DriveStrike to manage fleet encryption across the globe. 5. Limit Access to Sensitive Information: Last but not least, limit access to sensitive information. Give certain access to certain top officials of your company. This way, you can focus security measures towards these people and also be sure of who to first call when certain things happen. This is not to say that trust is lacking, but rather it adds a layer of protection. This helps you fortify your defences, especially in this heightened period of potential security risks. How Johan Consults Can Help You Protect Your Data During the Holiday At Johan Consults, we understand the challenges businesses and individuals face in protecting their information, especially during the holiday season. The stakes are higher for small businesses and startups that may lack dedicated resources for robust data protection. That’s where we step in. We can help you run comprehensive data security audits, train your employees and also provide advanced premium tools. Don’t let cyber threats ruin your holiday season. At Johan Consults, we’re committed to helping you safeguard your data, so you can focus on growing your business and enjoying the holidays. Contact us today to help protect your data.
