Last week finally saw a break in the recent years of winter rainfall and, with it, a return to those familiar crisp winters many of us remember from the past. As so many employees are now able to work remotely, homes across the UK are nestled with staff logging in from spare rooms and kitchen tables, watching the ice yield as temperatures (thankfully) creep back up the mercury. Thanks to the rapid shift in remote IT support for business, flexible working is now the norm rather than the exception.
If we can momentarily forget how we’re going to pay to keep ourselves warm once government energy subsidies disappear, we may realise that somehow, in the blink of an eye, Christmas is well and truly upon us.
Whether you celebrate the holiday or not, for most people this is a time to finally put their feet up and rewind a little after what has been a challenging year for businesses of all sizes.
Unfortunately, this is also the perfect time for cyber criminals to strike.
During the festive season, guards are down. Staff are entering ‘holiday mode’, inboxes are overflowing, and there’s often a reliance on skeleton IT teams or outsourced support desks. Combine that with last‑minute online shopping and increased digital transactions, and you have the ideal environment for cyber crime.
In much the same way pickpockets love crowded high streets full of rushed consumers, cyber criminals thrive during this frantic online trading window. Fake deals, delivery notifications, and urgent payment requests blend seamlessly into legitimate Christmas activity, making them far harder to spot.
This is not the time to forget the security awareness training your business IT support service has (hopefully) reinforced throughout the year.
It’s widely believed that while fewer people may be actively working over the holidays, the volume of attempted attacks actually increases. Cyber security solutions providers consistently report spikes in:
🔺Fake shopping websites offering ‘too good to be true’ discounts
🔺Parcel delivery scams posing as well‑known couriers
🔺Payment and invoice fraud targeting finance teams
🔺Fake charity appeals exploiting goodwill
🔺Phishing emails impersonating big tech companies in London, banks, or suppliers
For small businesses without dedicated managed cybersecurity or managed network security services, these threats can be particularly damaging.
The rise of remote and hybrid working has accelerated the outsourcing of information technology services and increased reliance on cloud platforms. While the benefits of IT outsourcing are significant – flexibility, scalability, and access to specialist skills – they also require strong governance.
Businesses using IT and outsourcing models must ensure their service desk outsourcing partners, managed IT service providers, and cloud vendors follow best‑practice security frameworks. Without proper network management in computer networks, vulnerabilities can quickly appear.
This is where business IT support services and managed security service providers play a critical role, especially during holiday periods when internal teams may be unavailable.
You already know the rules, but they’re worth repeating – especially at Christmas:
🔺Be wary of urgency or pressure to act quickly
🔺Double‑check sender addresses carefully
🔺Avoid clicking unknown or unexpected links
🔺Look for changes in tone, branding, or writing style
🔺Be suspicious of messages that play on emotion or fear
🔺Ask yourself whether you were expecting the communication at all
If it looks too good to be true, it probably is.
Cyber criminals increasingly focus on organisations without enterprise‑level defences. Many small companies rely on ad‑hoc IT help or underestimate the cost of IT support for small business compared to the financial impact of a breach.
Investing in IT support services for small businesses, business IT network support, and proactive cyber services can significantly reduce risk. For UK organisations, especially those seeking IT support for small business UK or IT support London small business, the right provider offers both prevention and rapid response.
Enjoy your break if you get one – you’ve earned it. With the right business IT support UK partner in place, you can relax knowing your systems are monitored even when offices are quiet.
Who knows, maybe Santa will bring improved cyber security this Christmas, and peace of mind can be your New Year’s resolution.
If you’re not an existing customer who can lean on ITbuilder during the festive period, you can still take action:
🚩Report suspicious text messages for free by forwarding them to 7726
🚩Forward suspicious emails to report@phishing.gov.uk
A little vigilance now can prevent a very expensive January.
Last updated to reflect current cyber security threats, remote working, and IT outsourcing risks.