Thanksgiving week has arrived, and many of us are balancing work, family time, travel, shopping, cooking, and holiday gatherings. It’s a season of connection and gratitude, but it can also become a time when technology plays an outsized role in our lives. The digital world offers countless conveniences, from online shopping to on-the-go email, from travel apps to laptop chargers. But this time of year also brings unique challenges.
Cybercriminals ramp up their activities during the holidays, hoping that phishing scams can take advantage of distracted users. At the same time, end-of-year IT changes often require businesses to stay on their toes. However, when you take a proactive approach to technology, cybersecurity, and digital privacy, you can make Thanksgiving week and the coming holidays more secure, efficient, and enjoyable.
Below, we’ve compiled a few holiday-season tips and strategies that CMIT Solutions has relied on over the years:
Always stay alert.
The holiday season is prime time for cybercriminals, with phishing attempts, fraudulent shopping scams, and data breaches increasing. A recent FBI report warns that holiday-related cyberattacks could increase by as much as 30% this November and December. Cybersecurity experts recommend staying vigilant to protect your personal and financial data.
Here’s how:
- Be vigilant with your inbox. You can spot phishing emails by checking for misspellings, sender addresses that don’t match sender names, or urgent calls to action like “Click now to claim your prize.” If you see a single red flag, don’t click any links in the message or open any attached documents. Then, mark the email as junk or spam so email filters can block emails like it in the future.
- Use secure payment methods when shopping online. If an e-commerce site looks suspicious, think twice before entering your credit card details. Look for trusted sites that use secure connections—every URL should start with https://. Some browsers like Google Chrome allow you to click next to the browser bar to check a site’s security and trust settings. Payment platforms like PayPal or Apple Pay can also offer extra buyer protection.
- Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) on all accounts. This secondary layer of login protection has become more and more common, with most email systems and social media accounts requiring it. But the holiday season is the perfect time to activate it for other platforms—especially for online shopping, banking, and travel apps. This extra layer of security is crucial during high-risk periods.
- Beware of holiday “deals” that seem too good to be true. Hackers often exploit heavy shopping times like Black Friday or Cyber Monday by sending fake emails that point to illicit websites. Always verify the legitimacy of offers through official retailer sites—then check again before you enter your credit card details.
Understand the impact of tech changes.
The end of the year often brings major changes in the digital landscape, with software updates, security patches, and hardware changes rearing their complicated heads. Starting on December 28, 2024, all mobile devices sold in the European Union must use USB-C as the standard data transfer and charging port. That regulation could have a global ripple effect, as tech giants like Google, Apple, and Microsoft have all indicated that their devices will use USB-C, too.
Another significant impending deadline is October 14, 2025—the end-of-service date for Windows 10. Microsoft has made a big push to publicize the coming shift when automated support for the popular operating system will end. While this date is almost a full year away, businesses should take advantage of the planning period to ensure a smooth transition to Windows 11.
Many businesses—especially those in sensitive industries that use legacy software—will try to find workarounds to keep outdated applications in place. But extending these systems past their end-of-service date turns them into prime targets for hackers. Outdated technology can also have a significant impact on day-to-day operations. When systems run slow, productivity can take a hit and IT costs can increase over time.
If your business is unsure about migrating from Windows 10 to Windows 11, now is the time to assess your options—and CMIT Solutions can help.
Leveraging IT for a smooth holiday season.
The holidays can be chaotic, but smart use of technology can help businesses and individuals stay on top of things. Whether you work in the retail or e-commerce industry—or you’re just coordinating travel plans with family—technology can streamline workflows and reduce stress this time of year.
For businesses:
- Ensure point-of-sale (POS) systems are optimized before increased holiday traffic arrives. Slow processing can frustrate customers and lead to lost sales.
- Consider chatbots to handle customer inquiries, freeing up staff for more complex tasks.
- Make sure cloud-based platforms are in use before you experience serious inventory fluctuations or have to coordinate shifting team schedules in real time.
For individuals:
- Use travel apps to monitor traffic and flight delays. Waze and FlightAware are two popular options.
- Budget apps can help you better manage holiday spending, avoiding financial surprises come January 1. Mint and YNAB are two popular options.
- Keep track of holiday to-dos with digital organizers that can sync across all devices and are accessible at home or on the road. Todoist and Google Keep are two popular options.
Enhance digital privacy during the holidays.
Holiday photos, online shopping sprees, and shared family devices all introduce new privacy risks. These simple steps can keep your data safe during the festive season.
- Secure your Wi-Fi networks, especially if you’re hosting guests who might connect to your home network. Use a guest network to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive devices.
- Back up holiday photos to encrypted cloud storage instead of leaving them on unsecured devices. Make sure whatever platform you choose offers end-to-end encryption for added security.
- Check privacy settings on social media apps before posting holiday updates. Disable location tracking on shared photos to prevent revealing your home address.
- Protect shared devices with passwords to prevent accidental access to sensitive information, especially if kids or guests will use them over the holidays.
Thanksgiving week can be a lot to deal with. But if we use it wisely, technology has the power to enhance connections, streamline processes, and protect our digital identities. As the holiday season begins, let’s embrace the benefits technology can bring while keeping a watchful eye on potential pitfalls. A little preparation can go a long way toward ensuring a secure, stress-free, and joyful Thanksgiving for all.
Whether you’re considering digital challenges for your business or struggling to adapt to year-end tech changes with consumer devices, CMIT Solutions can help. We leverage IT for holiday efficiency and take a proactive approach to cybersecurity, all year long. Contact us today if you want to learn more.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours from everyone in the CMIT Solutions family across North America. May your week be filled with connection, gratitude, and peace of mind.
