Post-Holiday Cybersecurity Cleanup: What to Check After the Christmas Rush

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 credential.

What to Do:

  • Change your passwords for key accounts (e.g., banking, email, and shopping sites like Amazon).
  • Use a password manager to store unique, complex passwords for each account. This reduces the temptation to reuse passwords.
  • Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) wherever possible for an extra layer of protection.

2. Review Your Credit Card and Bank Statements

Post-holiday credit card bills often include transactions that might surprise you, especially after shopping online. Fraudulent charges can slip through the cracks amidst all the holiday purchases. Check for any suspicious or unauthorized transactions.

What to Do:

  • Review your statements carefully for any unfamiliar charges.
  • Report any suspicious activity immediately to your bank or credit card company.
  • Set up alerts for your financial accounts to notify you of any new charges.

3. Remove Unnecessary Accounts

After a season of online shopping, holiday bookings, and new service sign-ups, you may have created temporary accounts that you no longer need. Cybercriminals target old or unused accounts as they are often neglected and lack up-to-date security measures.

What to Do:

  • Delete any accounts you no longer need (e.g., temporary holiday shopping accounts or apps you downloaded for a specific purpose).
  • Review and update your privacy settings on social media or other platforms to ensure they align with your current preferences.
  • Unsubscribe from email lists that you no longer find useful to minimize your exposure to phishing attempts.

4. Update Software and Operating Systems

Software updates often come with critical security patches to address vulnerabilities that hackers exploit. If you’ve been putting off those system updates during the holiday rush, now is the time to catch up.

What to Do:

  • Install any pending updates on your operating systems, apps, and devices (including phones, tablets, and smart home devices).
  • Enable automatic updates for both your computer and mobile devices to ensure you don’t miss critical patches in the future.
  • Update antivirus and antimalware software to the latest versions to ensure optimal protection.

5. Clean Up Your Email and Identify Phishing Threats

The holiday season is prime time for phishing attempts, as cybercriminals take advantage of the chaos and people's eagerness to click on links or open attachments. After the holidays, it's important to audit your inbox for any suspicious or unsolicited emails.

What to Do:

  • Review your email inbox for phishing emails that could’ve slipped in during the holiday hustle. Look out for messages that seem urgent, have strange sender addresses, or ask for sensitive information.
  • Mark these emails as spam or phishing and delete them.
  • Never click on links or attachments in emails from unknown senders.
  • Consider using a spam filter or enhanced email protection if you haven't already.

6. Clear Out Your Browser History and Cookies

While browsing for gifts or researching holiday destinations, you likely accumulated a lot of cookies and browser history. Cybercriminals can sometimes track these online activities, so clearing them periodically is a good habit.

What to Do:

  • Clear your browser history, cache, and cookies from the past month to eliminate any remnants of your online activity.
  • Review and manage your saved passwords in your browser to ensure they’re still secure.
  • Use private or incognito mode for sensitive activities like banking or shopping to avoid storing personal data in your browser.

7. Secure Your Home Network and IoT Devices

If you’ve received any new gadgets or smart home devices over the holidays, it’s important to ensure that they’re properly secured. Cybercriminals are increasingly targeting Internet of Things (IoT) devices like smart speakers, cameras, and appliances as entry points into home networks.

What to Do:

  • Change the default passwords on any new devices (routers, cameras, smart speakers, etc.).
  • Update the firmware on your IoT devices to ensure they are running the latest security patches.
  • Set up a separate network for your smart devices (like a guest Wi-Fi network) to keep them isolated from your personal devices (e.g., laptops, phones).
  • Disable any unneeded device features (e.g., remote access) to reduce potential vulnerabilities.

8. Back Up Your Data

Before the year gets into full swing, it’s always a good idea to back up your important files and documents. Cyberattacks such as ransomware could lock you out of your data, so having a backup ensures you won’t lose everything.

What to Do:

  • Back up your files to an external hard drive or a cloud service.
  • Test your backups to make sure they’re working and that you can restore your data if needed.
  • Consider using automated backup software to ensure your data is regularly backed up.

9. Monitor Your Digital Footprint

The holidays often result in an increase in social media activity. While sharing memories is fun, it's important to keep your digital footprint in check to prevent oversharing that could put you at risk.

What to Do:

  • Review your social media privacy settings and ensure that personal information is only visible to trusted friends and family.
  • Be cautious of oversharing photos or details about your home, travel plans, or finances.
  • Check the security settings on your cloud accounts (e.g., Google Drive, Dropbox) to ensure your personal files are properly protected.

10. Review Your Cyber Insurance (If Applicable)

If you have cybersecurity insurance (or are considering it), now’s the time to review your policy. A new year means new risks, and you may need to adjust your coverage to ensure you're fully protected.

What to Do:

  • Review your current cyber insurance policy to ensure it covers the most up-to-date cyber threats.
  • Contact your insurance provider if you have questions or need adjustments to your policy.

Final Thoughts

The post-holiday period is an ideal time to perform a cybersecurity audit and ensure that your digital life is secure after all the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season. By taking a few simple precautions, you can protect yourself from potential threats and start the new year with peace of mind knowing that your data, devices, and accounts are safe and secure.

Stay safe online, and make cybersecurity a priority for the year ahead!

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