The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the FBI jointly advise both government and commercial organizations to observe cybersecurity practices as the holiday season approaches. CISA said Monday that cyber actors tend to exploit the vulnerabilities of critical networks during weekends and holidays.
The agencies advise organizations to observe a set of risk reduction practices and identify human resources available for cybersecurity work during these times.
Risk reduction practices include using multi-factor authentication, requiring strong passwords, monitoring risky devices, raising employee awareness and reviewing incident response plans.
“We urge network defenders to prepare and remain alert over the upcoming holiday weekend and report any suspicious activity to www.ic3.gov,” said Bryan Vorndran, cyber assistant director at the FBI.
Ransomware incidents are cyber attacks when a malicious actor blocks a user’s system access until the victim pays a demanded sum of money.
