Safeguarding Your Financial Firm: Essential Cybersecurity Practices for the Summer Season

Now that it is summertime, many accounting and financial professionals are taking well-deserved vacations. However, this period of relaxation can also present significant cybersecurity risks for your firm. Hackers are increasingly targeting businesses during holiday seasons and vacation periods, taking advantage of reduced staffing and potential lapses in security protocols. At ABL Computers, we understand the unique IT challenges faced by financial firms, and we’re here to help you maintain robust cybersecurity measures throughout the summer months.

Why Summer Poses Increased Cybersecurity Risks

The summer season often sees a surge in cyber attacks for several reasons:

1. Reduced Staff Presence: With employees on vacation, there may be fewer eyes monitoring systems and potential threats.
2. Temporary Staff: Seasonal workers or interns may not be as familiar with security protocols, potentially creating vulnerabilities.
3. Relaxed Vigilance: The more relaxed summer atmosphere can lead to a decrease in cybersecurity awareness among staff.
4. IT Personnel on Leave: If your in-house IT support is on vacation, your firm may be more vulnerable to attacks.

Best Practices for Summer Cybersecurity

To protect your financial firm from cyber threats during the summer months, consider implementing these best practices:

Implement Account Disabling Policies: One of the most effective ways to reduce risk is to disable user accounts for employees who are on extended vacations. This practice significantly reduces the attack surface available to potential hackers.

• For vacations lasting two weeks or more, disable the employee’s account for the duration of their absence.
• Ensure a smooth re-activation process is in place for when employees return.
• Communicate this policy clearly to all staff members to avoid any confusion or frustration.

Enhance Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): While MFA should be a standard practice year-round, it’s particularly crucial during vacation periods.

• Require MFA for all remote access to company systems.
• Consider implementing location-based authentication to flag unusual login attempts.
• Regularly review and update MFA policies to address new threats.

Conduct Pre-Vacation Security Briefings: Before employees leave for vacation, provide a quick security refresher:

• Remind staff not to access sensitive company data on public Wi-Fi networks.
• Advise against sharing vacation plans on social media, as this information can be exploited by hackers.
• Encourage the use of company-issued devices rather than personal devices for any necessary work tasks while on vacation.

Update and Patch Systems: Use the typically slower summer period to ensure all systems are up-to-date:

• Schedule comprehensive system updates and patches during off-hours to minimize disruption.
• Verify that all endpoints, including those of remote workers, are current with the latest security updates.
• Consider implementing an automated patching system to ensure timely updates year-round.

Strengthen Email Security: Email remains a primary vector for cyber attacks. Enhance your email security measures:

• Implement or update your DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance) policy to prevent email spoofing.
• Use AI-powered email filtering to detect sophisticated phishing attempts.
• Conduct phishing simulation exercises to keep staff vigilant, even during the summer months.

Review and Update Incident Response Plans: Ensure your incident response plan is current and accounts for summer-specific scenarios:

• Update contact lists to include vacation schedules of key personnel.
• Conduct a tabletop exercise simulating a cyber attack during a peak vacation period.
• Establish clear protocols for escalating issues when key decision-makers are out of office.

Implement Continuous Monitoring: With potential staffing gaps during summer, automated monitoring becomes even more critical:

• Utilize AI-driven security information and event management (SIEM) systems to detect anomalies 24/7.
• Set up alerts for any unusual account activity, especially for disabled vacation accounts.
• Consider outsourcing monitoring to a managed security service provider to ensure round-the-clock coverage.

Secure Remote Work Environments: As more employees may work remotely during summer, ensure all remote work environments are secure:

• Provide VPN access for all remote workers and enforce its use.
• Implement endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions on all devices accessing company networks.
• Regularly audit remote access logs to detect any suspicious activity.

How ABL Computers Can Help

At ABL Computers, we specialize in providing comprehensive IT solutions for accounting and financial firms. Our expertise in cybersecurity can help your firm stay protected throughout the summer and beyond:

• 24/7 Monitoring: Our team provides round-the-clock monitoring of your systems, ensuring any potential threats are detected and addressed promptly, even when your staff is on vacation.
• Managed Security Services: We offer full-service security management, including regular updates, patch management, and proactive threat mitigation.
• Customized Security Policies: We can help develop and implement security policies tailored to your firm’s specific needs, including account management during vacation periods.
• Employee Training: Our comprehensive cybersecurity awareness training programs can help keep your staff vigilant against evolving threats.
• Incident Response Support: In the event of a security incident, our team is ready to provide immediate support and guidance to minimize potential damage.

Don’t let the relaxed atmosphere of summer compromise your firm’s cybersecurity. By implementing these best practices and partnering with ABL Computers, you can ensure that your financial firm remains secure, compliant, and protected against cyber threats, allowing you and your staff to enjoy your well-deserved summer vacations with peace of mind.

Contact ABL Computers today to learn more about how we can help safeguard your firm this summer and beyond. Let us be your trusted IT partner, providing the expertise and support you need to stay secure in an ever-evolving threat landscape.