Hackers and Holidays

Are you more prone to be zapped by a hacker attack during the holidays?

The security folks say no.

The idea that attacks somehow spike during the holidays is "more of a fallacy than anything else, said David Marcus, security research and communications manager with McAfee’s Avert Labs. "Most enterprises I’ve dealt with have just as much coverage during the holidays as any time of year."

Microsoft’s Griesi agreed that the traditional holiday business slowdown in the United States does not apply to security professionals. "The holiday season doesn’t affect our ability to respond," he said.

Though enterprises may be prepared for cyberattacks, the December rush of online shopping does spur certain types of online scams, Marcus said. "You’ll see certain techniques become prevalent at certain times of the year," Marcus said. "You’ll see some holiday spam or some charity spam."

[My new business partners in Nigeria also assure me that there's nothing to worry about. I'd get a direct quote but they're currently unavailable.]