A new report from PureCyber notes that “while most businesses begin to wind down for the Christmas season, cyber criminals are preparing for one of their busiest times of the year. For CISOs (Chief Information Security Officers) and IT leaders, the holiday period often brings heightened stress rather than relaxation.  

“Reduced staffing levels, a surge in phishing scams, and a rise in ransomware attacks make Christmas an especially challenging time for security teams”, says the report, though London market insurance brokers and underwriters renewing books of business may not recognise that scenario from their point of view. 

According to the report: “the widespread adoption of digital transformation has left virtually all business processes vulnerable to cyber threats. While digitalisation aims to enhance efficiency, it also increases risks for organisations and intensifies demands on CISOs and IT teams. 

“Cyber criminals are opportunists,” explains Matt Jones, Chief Defensive Security Officer at PureCyber. “They exploit the unique mix of distractions, absences, and goodwill that define the festive season.” 

A recent Gartner report shows that 62% of cyber security leaders feel pressured to work late nights or weekends, and 37% face unrealistic expectations in their roles. The festive season only amplifies these challenges. 

The key festive cyber security challenges reported by PureCyber are as follows: 

There’s no rest for the wicked this Christmas as far as many EC3 underwriters and brokers are concerned! However, the same does not necessarily hold true for insureds, which face a raft of connected Christmas cyber risks in the run up to the New Year.