Holiday Tech Tip: Shut Down Your Computer Before Your Long Break

Are you the kind of person who shuts down the computer before taking a long vacation, or do you leave it on?

If you leave it on, you may want to reconsider.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) recommends “locking up your data like you lock up your office” before you take that much-deserved holiday vacation.

Log Out and Shut Down

Aside from using strong passwords and knowing the telltale signs of holiday shipping scams, CISA encourages employees to log out and shut down their computers if they will be away for an extended period.

The reasoning is simple: Turning off your computer makes remote cyberattacks impossible. It also disrupts malware that relies on an active connection.

Plus, you’ll save on energy costs and put less strain on your computer’s components, including the battery.

Many small businesses close for long periods during the holidays, so it’s wise to use the same safeguards as you would at home when away. Lock the office door and remind employees to power down their computers.

Back Up Your Data

In addition to shutting down your computer, CISA says you should have a recent backup before your holiday break.

If something were to happen to your data while you’re gone, a recent backup allows you to keep operations running smoothly while ensuring you don’t lose valuable information.

Many organizations back up their data weekly or even daily. But if you’re only backing up monthly or quarterly, consider a more recent backup before you leave.

We recommend implementing a 3-2-1-1-0 backup plan to safeguard against computer failures, local disasters (fires, floods, etc.) and ransomware attacks.

Holiday Tech Tip from Hungerford

Shutting down your computer will eliminate remote cyberattacks while you are on vacation. But a secure organization is only as strong as its weakest link.

Attackers ramp up their attacks during the holidays, and phishing training helps you spot malicious emails, protecting your organization from malware, ransomware and other threats. Contact us to enroll your organization in phishing training before disaster strikes.

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