AMSi Networks - Education

The holidays are a time of joy, family gatherings, and, unfortunately, heightened cyber risks. Whether you're busy shopping for the perfect gifts, booking travel plans, or simply managing an influx of online activity, cybercriminals know how to take advantage of the holiday season's distractions. As the festivities wind down and you settle back into your routine, it's essential to perform a "post-holiday cybersecurity cleanup" to ensure that your digital safety remains intact. Here’s a comprehensive guide on what to check after the Christmas rush to safeguard your data and devices from lingering threats. 1. Change Your Passwords After any significant online activity (like holiday shopping or new accounts created for seasonal offers), it’s a good idea to change your passwords. It’s easy to fall into the trap of reusing passwords across multiple sites, but this is a surefire way for hackers to gain access to your sensitive accounts if they obtain a single login cred...

As businesses prepare for the end-of-year rush—whether it's wrapping up financials, processing orders, or closing out annual goals—cybercriminals are also gearing up. The holiday season is a prime time for hackers to exploit vulnerabilities in business networks, using everything from phishing scams to sophisticated malware attacks. In fact, studies show that cyberattacks increase during the holidays due to more employees taking time off, more transactions being processed online, and companies relaxing their security measures to accommodate the festive season. For businesses, the cost of a cyberattack can be steep: reputational damage, lost revenue, regulatory fines, and the long-term impact of data breaches. With the end of the year fast approaching, now is the time to take proactive measures to safeguard your company. Here's how to protect your business from end-of-year cyber threats. 1. Secure Your Online Payment Systems The holiday season means increased e-commerce activity,...

The holiday season is here, and while you're wrapping gifts, enjoying festive meals, and binge-watching Christmas movies, hackers and scammers are working overtime to steal your personal information. Unfortunately, many people fall victim to cyber threats during this time of year, often due to a combination of holiday distractions and common cybersecurity myths. In the spirit of Christmas, we're here to bust some of the most pervasive cybersecurity myths that could let the Grinch (or worse, cybercriminals) steal your data. Let's unpack these myths and set the record straight so you can enjoy the holidays without any digital headaches. Myth 1: "Cybercriminals Only Target Big Companies" 🎄 Reality: Cybercriminals target individuals just as much, if not more, than big companies during the holidays. While headlines often focus on massive data breaches at large corporations, the fact is that many attacks are aimed at individuals. In fact, small businesses and consumer...

As the holiday season approaches, remote workers everywhere are gearing up for both the festivities and the challenges that come with balancing work and personal time. While the holidays bring joy and relaxation, they also pose unique cybersecurity risks for those working from home or while traveling. From increased travel and distracted schedules to heightened cybercrime activity, the holiday season is a prime time for cybercriminals to exploit vulnerabilities. In this blog post, we’ll dive into the key cybersecurity risks remote workers should watch out for during the holidays and offer actionable tips to ensure your work stays safe while you enjoy the season. 1. Beware of Holiday Phishing Scams During the holidays, phishing emails become more prevalent, often disguised as festive promotions, holiday e-cards, or charitable donations. Cybercriminals know that employees may be distracted by holiday shopping and festivities, making them more likely to click on malicious links or attachm...

The holiday season is a time of joy, celebration, and for many businesses, a critical period for sales and growth. However, it also presents a perfect storm for cybercriminals. As companies focus on holiday promotions, shipping deadlines, and employee time off, they may inadvertently let their guard down, making them more vulnerable to cyberattacks. Here are 7 key security risks that businesses should be aware of during the holiday season and how to defend against them: 1. Increased Phishing Attacks Why it’s a risk: The holiday season is a prime time for cybercriminals to launch phishing campaigns. With employees distracted by festivities, they’re more likely to fall for fake emails or messages that seem to come from trusted sources. These emails might contain malicious links, fake invoices, or even fraudulent job offers. How to protect your business: Educate employees about the risks of phishing and how to spot suspicious emails. Use multi-factor authentication (MFA) to add an extra l...

Cyberattacks are inevitable, and businesses of all sizes are at risk. From data breaches to ransomware, the digital landscape is filled with threats. While you can’t prevent every attack, having a well-crafted Incident Response Plan (IRP) can minimize the damage and ensure a quick recovery. In this post, we’ll explore why an IRP is essential and how to create one that will protect your business when disaster strikes.   Why You Need an Incident Response Plan Cyber threats are more common than ever. In fact, 43% of cyberattacks target small businesses, and many of those businesses fail within six months of a breach. An IRP ensures that when a security incident occurs, your team knows exactly what steps to take. An effective IRP helps: Minimize downtime and reduce system compromise Limit financial losses by containing threats quickly Ensure compliance with legal and regulatory requirements Preserve your reputation by demonstrating a prompt response to stakeholders Key Steps to Bu...