Hackers Love Holidays — Here’s How to Outsmart Them Before It’s Too Late

Takeaway:

• Holidays make businesses vulnerable—staff are away, and vigilance drops.

• Hackers exploit distractions and increased email traffic to strike.

• Proactive security measures help keep your data safe and operations running smoothly.

Key Statistics & Research

• According to a 2024 report by the Retail & Hospitality Information Sharing and Analysis Center (RH‑ISAC), ransomware made up 26% of all reported incidents during the 2023 holiday season, up from 13% the prior period. This demonstrates a significant rise in holiday-targeted attacks.

• Overall cyberattacks rise by about 30% during public holidays compared to typical months.

• Another analysis observed a 70% increase in attempted ransomware attacks during November and December compared to January and February.

• A Semperis survey found that 86% of organizations hit by ransomware were targeted on a weekend or holiday, when staff and monitoring are reduced.

Why Hackers Target Businesses During the Holidays

With staff taking time off and systems sometimes less monitored, the holiday season creates opportunities for cybercriminals. Here’s why hackers target businesses during this time:

1. Reduced Staffing

   Many businesses operate with skeleton crews during the holidays. Teams may get smaller, access to emails may be limited, and decision-makers may be harder to reach. Hackers exploit this gap, knowing incidents may go unnoticed for longer.

2. Increased Email Traffic
   Holiday season often brings more emails—promotions, invoices, vendor updates—which means phishing emails blend in more easily. Employees distracted by personal matters may click links or download attachments without thinking.

3. Delayed Response Times

   Even if suspicious activity is detected, it can take time to respond—especially if employees are out of the office. This delay gives hackers more opportunity to steal data, spread through your network, or launch ransomware.

4. Remote Work Vulnerabilities

   Many employees travel or work remotely during the holidays. Using unsecured Wi-Fi, personal devices, or bypassing VPNs increases the risk of account compromise.

What This Means for Businesses

The data confirms that holidays present a spike in attacks, especially ransomware and phishing. Sectors like professional services, retail, and hospitality are at even higher risk due to increased traffic, holiday sales, and higher transaction volume. Cybercriminals often combine timing (weekends/holidays), social engineering, credential stuffing, and automated attacks to exploit reduced defenses.

Simple Steps to Strengthen Security During the Holidays

Even small actions can make a difference:

1. Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

   Make sure MFA is active on email, VPNs, and cloud accounts for added protection.

2. Review Access Permissions

   Double-check that only necessary employees have access to sensitive data.

3. Verify Backups

   Confirm backups are current and securely stored offsite or in the cloud.

4. Plan Out-of-Office Coverage

   Coordinate with your MSP to monitor critical systems while staff are on vacation.

5. Keep Employees Alert

   Remind your team to watch for phishing emails and suspicious links, even during the holiday rush.

Bottom Line

Hackers don’t take holidays. The period when your business is least vigilant is exactly when criminals are most active. By combining strong internal practices with the support of your IT partner, you can enjoy the season without worrying about security breaches.