Keeping Your Business Safe During
Out-of-Office Season
The holidays are here — lights are twinkling, inboxes are slowing, and teams are setting their Out-of-Office replies. But while you’re looking forward to downtime, someone else is gearing up for game time. For cybercriminals, the holiday season is the Super Bowl — their biggest, busiest, and most profitable time of year. When businesses are distracted, devices are unattended, and IT coverage is thin, it becomes the perfect opportunity to strike.
The Holiday Hacker Playbook
rom Thanksgiving through New Year’s, cybercrime consistently spikes by 30% or more. It’s not hard to see why. The end-of-year period brings a “perfect storm” of vulnerability that hackers exploit with precision timing and sophisticated tactics.
For cybercriminals, this isn’t just another season — it’s the most lucrative opportunity of the entire year. They know your attention is elsewhere, your defenses are stretched thin, and your team is eager to wrap things up. That distraction becomes their advantage, and they’ve designed their attacks to blend seamlessly with the festive atmosphere.
By The Numbers
30%+ increase in cyberattacks during holiday season
$4.5M average cost of a data breach in 2023
68% of breaches involve human error
The Perfect Storm of Holiday Vulnerabilities
Distributed Teams
Employees working remotely, traveling to family gatherings, or logging in from unfamiliar locations create new attack surfaces and security blind spots.
Rushed Approvals
End-of-year invoices, urgent payroll requests, and last-minute purchases create pressure to bypass normal verification processes and security protocols..
Reduced Oversight
Skeleton IT crews and holiday coverage gaps mean slower response times and fewer eyes monitoring for suspicious activity across your network.
Personal Devices
Increased mobile logins, holiday shopping on work devices, and public Wi-Fi connections at airports and coffee shops expose your business data to interception.
These factors converge to create an environment where even the most security-conscious organizations become vulnerable. Hackers understand this dynamic intimately and have refined their tactics specifically to exploit these seasonal weaknesses. The attacks aren’t random — they’re strategically timed and carefully crafted to match the rhythms of your business during the holiday rush.
Top Holiday Cyber Threats
Cyber threats get creative this time of year, but they all rely on the same thing: distraction. Understanding these common attack vectors is your first line of defense. Each threat is designed to exploit the unique characteristics of the holiday season — the rush to finish tasks, the expectation of packages, and the spirit of giving that can lower our natural skepticism.
Fake Shipping & Delivery Notices
With everyone expecting packages, scammers send realistic “tracking updates” or “failed delivery” emails. These messages often include logos from legitimate carriers and urgent language about package delays. One click can install malware or steal credentials. Always navigate directly to the carrier’s official website rather than clicking email links.
Charity & Donation Scams
Fake nonprofits pop up every December, complete with heartwarming stories and professional-looking websites. Before donating company funds or sharing financial information, check the organization’s official website or verify it through a trusted platform like Charity Navigator or GuideStar.
Executive Gift Card Scams
An urgent text or email that looks like it’s from your CEO asking for last-minute client gift cards? It’s not. These business email compromise attacks exploit organizational hierarchy and holiday generosity. Always verify through another channel — call the executive directly using a known phone number before purchasing anything.
Phishing Emails in Festive Disguise
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Real-World Impact: Holiday Breach Statistics
The Numbers Don’t Lie
Cyberattack volume surges dramatically during the holiday season, with December representing the peak threat period. This isn’t coincidental — it’s the result of coordinated campaigns by cybercriminal organizations targeting businesses when they’re most vulnerable.
Building Your Cyber-Safe Holiday Defense
Staying secure doesn’t mean working through your vacation — it just means having the right systems in place. A few key habits and strategic preparations can dramatically reduce your risk profile. These aren’t optional nice-to-haves; they’re essential components of a comprehensive security posture that protects your business year-round but becomes especially critical during the vulnerable holiday period.
01 – Enable Multi-Factor Authentication
Turn on MFA wherever possible across all business systems. It blocks over 99% of unauthorized access attempts and provides a critical second layer of verification even if passwords are compromised.
03- Implement Comprehensive Backups
Back up everything — files, servers, and cloud data — so you’re protected if something happens while you’re away. Test restoration procedures to ensure backups actually work.
05- Deploy Monitoring Tools
Ensure 24/7 security monitoring is in place, even when your team is offline. Automated threat detection provides continuous protection.
02 – Update and Patch Systems
Complete all software updates and security patches before heading out. Outdated software is an open invitation for attacks that exploit known vulnerabilities.
04- Conduct Security Training
Deliver a quick 15-minute refresh on spotting phishing emails and social engineering tactics. This small investment can prevent thousands in losses.
06- Test Response Plans
Know who to contact and how to act if something suspicious arises. Document procedures and ensure key personnel have access to emergency contacts.
Don’t Let Cybercriminals Home-Alone Your Business
Holiday cybercriminals aren’t taking time off and they’re counting on your business doing exactly that.
This quick-read PDF breaks down why end-of-year cyberattacks surge by more than 30%, which vulnerabilities attackers exploit when offices empty out, and how even simple “Out of Office” replies become reconnaissance tools for threat actors.
Inside, you’ll learn:
- Why the holiday season creates a perfect storm of security gaps
- How phishing, ransomware, and account takeovers spike during November–December
- The most common mistakes businesses make before clocking out
- A practical, step-by-step checklist to secure your systems before the break
- How to “booby-trap” your network Home Alone–style to keep intruders out
- And how Cyber Command’s 24/7 U.S.-based SOC keeps the lights on while your team is away
If your team is traveling, understaffed, or racing to hit year-end deadlines, this guide is a must-read.
Download the full PDF to make sure your business doesn’t become the next holiday cyber-heist statistic.