Protecting Your Business This Holiday Season: Top Cybersecurity Risks & How to Stay Safe

The holiday season is a busy and exciting time for North Country businesses. Whether you’re preparing for increased online orders, hiring seasonal staff, or managing year-end financials, your attention is pulled in dozens of different directions. Unfortunately, it’s also the time of year when cybercriminals ramp up their attacks — targeting small and mid-sized businesses that may be distracted or underprepared.

At Northern Insuring Agency, we understand how much local businesses depend on reliable systems, customer trust, and secure operations. That’s why this holiday season is the perfect moment to strengthen your cybersecurity strategy and reduce your exposure to costly cyber risks.

Why Cyberattacks Increase During the Holidays

Cybercrime spikes during November and December for a few key reasons:

• Higher online traffic — more customers shopping, ordering, and interacting with your business.

• Seasonal employees — temporary staff may be less familiar with security policies.

• Reduced oversight — holidays often mean fewer people monitoring systems.

• Year-end finances — making businesses prime targets for invoice fraud and phishing.

According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, cybercrime losses reached over $12.5 billion in 2023, with business email compromise alone accounting for more than $2.7 billion — and these numbers continue to rise during peak shopping periods.

Common Holiday Cyber Threats Businesses Face

1. Phishing & Social Engineering

Holiday-themed phishing emails — fake shipping notices, fraudulent invoices, or spoofed vendor messages are among the most common attacks. A single employee clicking a malicious link can open the door to data breaches or ransomware.

2. Ransomware Attacks

Cybercriminals know businesses are operating at full speed in December. A well-timed ransomware attack can bring operations to a halt, pressuring companies into paying a ransom just to stay open.

3. Point-of-Sale (POS) System Intrusions

Retailers, restaurants, and hospitality businesses are especially vulnerable during the holidays as POS systems process far more payments than usual.

4. Weak Passwords & Seasonal Workers

Temporary employees often receive quick onboarding, which can lead to shared passwords, unsecured devices, and limited cybersecurity awareness.

5. Fraudulent Gift Card Schemes

Gift card fraud is one of the fastest-growing holiday scams. It can cost businesses thousands and damage customer trust.

How Your Business Can Strengthen Cybersecurity Before the Holidays

• Train your team — including seasonal hire: A quick 30-minute training session on phishing, safe browsing, and password hygiene can dramatically reduce risk.

• Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA): MFA remains one of the most effective ways to stop unauthorized access.

• Update your software and POS system: Security patches protect against known vulnerabilities — especially important before your busiest season.

• Back up your data regularly: If ransomware hits, backups could save your business from devastating downtime.

• Review access permissions: Ensure seasonal workers only have access to the systems they need and remove access immediately after employment ends.

• Strengthen email security: Email remains the #1 way cybercriminals enter a business. Tools like spam filtering, domain protection, and employee training make a big difference.

How Cyber Liability Insurance Helps Protect Your Business

Even with strong cybersecurity practices, no business is completely immune from digital threats. Cyber liability insurance can help cover the financial fallout of an attack, including:

• Data breach response and customer notifications

• Legal expenses

• System recovery and data restoration

• Ransomware payments (when permitted by law)

• Business interruption losses

• PR and reputation management

For North Country businesses — from retail shops and cafés to professional offices and contractors, cyber coverage is becoming just as essential as property or liability insurance.

Stay Protected This Holiday Season

The holidays should be a time of celebration, not stress. With the right cybersecurity practices and proper insurance coverage in place, you can protect your customers, your employees, and your business from the costly impact of cyberattacks.

At Northern Insuring Agency, we’re here to help local businesses navigate cyber risks with confidence. Want to review your current policy or explore cyber liability options before the year ends? We’re just a call or click away.

Get Help When You Need It

Need help? Contact the team at Northern Insuring Agency. Our professionals are eager to assist you. They can help you identify which personal insurance policy is the best option.

In today's ever-changing world, having the right coverage is more important than ever.

Get in touch today for a quote! Northern Insuring will simplify the complicated world of insurance.