End of year (EOY) 2025 will unfortunately bring up new and old security concerns for your business to address – which is why SWK Technologies has put together this list of cybersecurity tips to help your team get ready for 2026. Whether for closing out year-end business processes, holiday shopping scams or preparing for the new cyber threat landscape ahead, this guide will aid you in identifying and addressing unique EOY challenges that could compromise your IT systems and data:
2025 Holiday Cyber Threats
The holidays have regrettably become a busy season for cyber scams, with threat actors capitalizing on crunch periods to launch targeted campaigns designed to exploit distracted users and overwhelmed IT teams. Last-minute online shopping has also turned into a frequent focal point for malware delivery and theft attempts – here are some of the top items to watch for:
Holiday Phishing Scams
Phishing attempts surge dramatically during the holiday period, with attackers crafting convincing messages around shipping notifications, charitable giving, online deals, etc. However, 2025 has introduced an additional challenge: AI-generated content makes these scams increasingly difficult to detect.
Verify the legitimacy of any email requesting action, particularly those involving financial transactions or credential updates. Avoid clicking links or opening attachments from unfamiliar senders, and independently confirm requests that appear to come from executives or vendors by contacting them through established channels rather than responding directly to suspicious messages.
Secure Online Shopping
Online transactions increase substantially during the holiday season, creating opportunities for payment fraud and credential theft. Losses from gift card fraud have also increased 300% year-over-year, with attackers targeting both retailers and consumers through various schemes.
Use reputable websites with secure payment options exclusively and prioritize credit cards over debit cards for online purchases. Monitor bank statements and transaction records regularly throughout the holiday period. Early detection of unauthorized charges allows faster response and can reduce financial impact.
Year-End Password Updates
Update passwords across all accounts, particularly those protecting financial systems, payroll data and customer information. Strong passwords combine letters, numbers and symbols in unique patterns that resist automated cracking attempts.
If you use Microsoft 365, you can also force session timeouts on workstations and mobile devices connected to your Business accounts. In situations where computers or smartphones may be left unattended during holiday travel for example, automatic logouts prevent unauthorized access during these periods. Configure timeout intervals based on data sensitivity, with shorter durations for systems containing critical business information.
Compliance Changes
Cybersecurity regulations continue to evolve between updated guidelines, new proposed obligations and upcoming deadlines fast approaching in 2026. Here are some of the top requirements that your business should consider:
PCI DSS
PCI DSS 4.0.1 enforcement accelerated in Q4 2025 after the March 31 deadline for compliance, building on 4.0’s stronger authentication controls and continuous monitoring for all payment processing systems. The updated standard mandates specific technical implementations that organizations should validate before the enforcement period begins.
Health Information Privacy Reform Act (HIPRA)
The Health Information Privacy Reform Act introduces stricter requirements for protecting patient data, with enforcement mechanisms that increase penalties for violations. Organizations handling protected health information should conduct audits of current privacy practices before new requirements take effect. Review access controls to ensure that only authorized personnel can view patient records, and verify that encryption protects data both at rest and in transit.
Data Privacy
State-level regulations are expanding rapidly, with multiple jurisdictions enacting new requirements for data breach notification, fraud prevention, and consumer privacy protection. Both Maryland and New Jersey implemented gift card fraud laws requiring tamper-evident packaging and employee training, with compliance going into effect October 2025. Other states are following similar patterns, creating a complex landscape of overlapping requirements.
Cloud Security Considerations
Remote access, distributed workforces and cloud-based applications require properly configured security controls regardless of where employees work or which devices they use. Gaps during year-end transitions can expose holes in your network defense if your IT team does not catch these in time – here are SWK’s recommended solutions for securing cloud-hosted data:
Multi-Factor Authentication
Single-password protection cannot withstand modern attack techniques that are designed specifically to get around individual layers of security. Enable multi-factor authentication across all cloud systems, particularly those containing financial data, customer information or operational controls. MFA requires users to provide additional credentials beyond passwords — typically one-time codes sent via SMS, authenticator apps or biometric verification.
Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery
Data backup remains the foundation of business continuity planning, but backups alone cannot guarantee successful recovery. Test restoration procedures before year-end to identify potential failures while time remains to address them. Measure how quickly your organization can restore systems from backup and resume normal operations.
Access Controls and Policy Management
Role-based access controls limit information exposure by restricting system access based on job functions. Remote workers frequently access cloud systems from personal devices, creating potential vulnerabilities if those devices lack proper security. Configure permissions so employees can only reach the data and applications necessary for their specific responsibilities.
End of Year IT Maintenance
The transition between calendar years provides an opportunity to address deferred maintenance, validate security controls and prepare infrastructure for the year ahead. Here are a couple of priority areas to focus on before year-end:
Software Updates and Patch Management
Unpatched systems often create direct pathways for attackers to exploit known vulnerabilities in applications and operating systems. Security patches address specific weaknesses that vendors have identified and corrected, but organizations must install these updates before threat actors weaponize the vulnerabilities.
Security Assessment and Vulnerability Testing
Risk assessments help you prioritize remediation efforts by identifying which systems and data require the strongest protection. Not all vulnerabilities carry equal weight—a security gap in a system containing customer financial data demands faster response than an identical vulnerability affecting less sensitive infrastructure. Focus remediation resources on the highest-risk areas first.
Emerging Cyber Threats in 2026
The cyber threat landscape continues evolving, with several trends expected to intensify throughout 2026. Here are some of the emerging risks to watch out for:
AI Cyber Attacks
AI-enabled cyber attacks will become standard practice rather than exceptional tactics. Threat actors are deploying artificial intelligence to enhance speed, scope, and effectiveness across all attack phases—from reconnaissance and initial compromise through data exfiltration and extortion. Voice cloning enables realistic vishing calls that bypass traditional verification procedures, while automated tools scale attacks to target thousands of organizations simultaneously.
Ransomware
Ransomware continues adapting, with threat actors combining data encryption with increasingly aggressive extortion tactics. Modern ransomware campaigns often involve multiple phases: initial data theft, system encryption, threats to publish stolen data, and direct harassment of employees or customers. Recovery times are lengthening and costs increasing as attackers target backup systems and disaster recovery infrastructure.
Nation-state Hackers
Nation-state actors are intensifying operations against critical infrastructure, telecommunications networks, and strategic technology providers. China-affiliated groups have increased attack volumes by 200-300% in certain targeted sectors, while operations like Salt Typhoon and Volt Typhoon demonstrate the sophistication and patience of state-sponsored campaigns. These threats extend beyond traditional espionage into pre-positioning malicious code for potential future disruption.
Attacks Against Virtualized Systems
Virtualization infrastructure is emerging as a high-value target. As security controls mature in guest operating systems, attackers are pivoting to underlying hypervisors and virtualization platforms. A single compromise at this level can provide control over entire digital estates, rendering hundreds of systems inoperable within hours. This attack vector requires specialized security measures that many organizations have not yet implemented.
Crypto Hacks
The cryptocurrency ecosystem continues attracting cybercrime operations. As blockchain technology gains mainstream adoption in financial services, threat actors are migrating core operations onto public blockchains for resilience against traditional takedown efforts. This “on-chain cybercrime economy” presents new challenges for law enforcement and security teams accustomed to disrupting terrestrial infrastructure.
Work with a Managed Service Partner to Strengthen your Cybersecurity
The security challenges outlined above require substantial expertise, continuous monitoring, and rapid response capabilities that many organizations struggle to maintain internally. Managed service providers bring specialized knowledge and dedicated resources that complement internal IT teams, particularly during high-risk periods like year-end transitions.
SOC Services
Security Operations Center (SOC) services deliver continuous monitoring and threat detection across network infrastructure, endpoints and cloud environments. SOC teams use Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) technology to collect and correlate data from firewalls, intrusion detection systems, endpoint protection tools and application logs, identifying patterns that indicate malicious activity. Relying on an outsourced security operations center grants you access to experienced analysts without having to recruit and retain these specialized professionals in-house, delivering expert analysis and incident response capabilities regardless of local hiring constraints.
Compliance Enablement and Risk Management
Regular compliance audits identify gaps between current practices and regulatory requirements, providing roadmaps for remediation before enforcement actions occur. External auditors bring objectivity and specialized expertise that internal teams may lack, particularly for businesses operating across multiple jurisdictions with varying state and federal requirements. Strategic risk management frameworks help you allocate security resources toward the vulnerabilities that present the greatest operational and financial exposure, ensuring investments address actual business threats rather than theoretical concerns.
Work with SWK Technologies to Improve Your Cybersecurity
Security challenges during year-end transitions demand expertise, continuous monitoring, and coordinated response capabilities that complement existing IT resources. Managed security services provide access to specialized knowledge and dedicated infrastructure that scales with your business needs, particularly during high-risk periods when internal teams face competing priorities.
Contact SWK here to discuss how our managed service offers can help you strengthen your cyber defenses during this critical period and prepare your business for the challenges ahead in 2026.