It’s that time of the year again. It gets darker quicker;
employees may be working later hours to accommodate holiday sales and specials.
Then, there’s holiday shopping, meaning that many people will become vulnerable
to cyberscams. All of this may be incredibly stressful for many businesses and
employees. Here are some tips to keep yourself, and your business, safe.
Staying cyber-safe
Cyberscams are happening more often as hackers tweak their
methods. Many cyberscams usually happen through text messages, phishing, and
social media.
Keep software updated
Whether you are using a phone or tablet, keep the software
updated on work and personal devices. This is the best protection against
malware and phishing. Hackers have a harder time developing malware to hack
into new systems.
Watch out for phishing and false messages
Phishing attacks are happening more often because hackers
have made their emails look more convincing to the user. So, watch out for
brand impersonation, order receipts, fake shipping and delivery notices, and
fake bank alerts. If you suspect an email to be fake, be sure to report it to
the company or a phishing website.
Fake order receipts are sent often. If you receive a receipt
from a store you didn’t shop from, do not click on the link to “resolve an
issue.” Call your bank or check your bank account to see if the charges are
there first.
During the holidays, scammers know that most will be online
shopping on sites such as Amazon, Walmart, and Target. Look out for these fake
shipping and delivery notices claiming to be any of these companies. The best
way to keep track of your real purchases, shipping, and delivery is to make an
account.
Eighty-two percent of people open every text message they receive, so this
method is usually what hackers use the most.1
If you receive a text message saying your account has been compromised, be sure
to log into your actual account to check rather than clicking on the link.
Keeping your
business and employees safe
When scheduling evening shifts, encourage employees to practice
safety procedures when closing. Never schedule one person to work alone during
a night shift. Robberies and kidnappings happen often during the holidays, so
it is best to increase security measures and encourage employees to walk out
together.
Remind employees to lock up devices, such as tablets and
phones in a secure safe. This safe should be in the back of the
restaurant or business. It is also best to make sure employees are handling
money in the back, if possible, to keep the employee, devices, money, and other
assets, safe.
As mentioned before, to ensure the safety of your business,
make sure that security software, recording devices, and security alarms are
up-to-date and working correctly. This will prevent any hackers from compromising
the security system and will help you monitor your business before, after, and
during business hours.
Additional Resources
The Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency
(CISA) has a host of free tools and services to help with keeping your
restaurant secure. Visit their website for more information:
https://www.cisa.gov/free-cybersecurity-services-and-tools
The National Restaurant Association has useful tools on
their website along with information on cybersecurity specific to
restaurants. https://restaurant.org/education-and-resources/resource-library/cybersecurity-resources-at-the-ready/
