For many businesses, the Christmas period is the most important and highest-revenue time of the year, but it is also a paradise for cybercriminals. Hackers exploit precisely those weeks when employees are on holiday, IT teams are understaffed and the focus is on presents, year-end accounts and customer service to launch intensified attacks.
Why there are more attacks during the festive season
Cybercriminals know that the Christmas period means distractions, a rush to get things done and, often, inadequate monitoring. Studies also show that Ransomware attacks in particular increase significantly in December and are becoming increasingly sophisticated.
Phishing campaigns
Disguised as gift vouchers or delivery status emails, designed to steal login details or payment information.
DDoS attacks
Cripple websites and services, particularly when online traffic is at its peak.
Fake e-commerce websites
Look like ‘Black Friday’ deals, but are actually designed to steal shoppers’ data.
Credential stuffing
The reuse of stolen passwords to gain access to accounts.
Well-known cyberattacks around the Christmas period
Lizard Squad DDoS attacks (Christmas 2014)
Lizard Squad’s massive DDoS attack on major gaming networks such as the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live meant that millions of players were initially unable to use their new consoles.
Japan Airlines DDoS attack (December 2024)
Shortly after Christmas 2024, Japan Airlines fell victim to a distributed denial-of-service attack that flooded internal and external networks, leading to delays on around 24 domestic flights.
West Haven cyber incident (Christmas Day 2024)
On 25 December 2024, the city of West Haven (USA) reported a significant cyber attack in which IT systems were compromised. The incident required the deployment of external cybersecurity experts.
Active e-commerce attacks during the 2025 Christmas season
Security reports show a dramatic increase during the 2025 Christmas season: attackers recorded over 18,000 domain-specific holiday attacks.
Awareness and training as the first line of defence
Raise employee awareness of Social Engineering, Phishing emails and fake deals. Minor lapses in attention often lead to major damage during the peak season.
Technical measures, Monitoring and Incident Response
In addition to awareness, technical precautions are also needed to get through the festive season safely:
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Multi-factor authentication: Make MFA mandatory for all critical systems.
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Email security: Implement robust email filters and anti-spam solutions.
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Penetration tests: Carry out regular tests and security updates.
Continuous monitoring of the infrastructure is essential, particularly between Black Friday and the end of the year. Furthermore, organisations should have a clear Incident Response plan in place to ensure they can react quickly.
Mint Secure GmbH
How Mint Secure supports you
We help businesses ensure they are well-protected, particularly during peak sales periods such as the Christmas season.
penetration test
We check your systems and e-commerce processes for vulnerabilities well in advance of the peak season.
Security Awareness
We train your employees to recognise Phishing, fake deals and Social Engineering.
Incident Response
We help you develop an Incident Response plan for the festive season.
Conclusion
Cyberattacks don’t take a holiday. Incidents such as the Lizard Squad DDoS attacks in 2014, the attack on Japan Airlines in December 2024, the West Haven incident on Christmas Day 2024 and the more than 18,000 domain-specific holiday attacks in 2025 show that the threat is real and growing.
For businesses, this means that the Christmas season is also the peak season for cyberattacks, and those who are prepared can prevent damage and strengthen the trust of customers and partners.
Mint Secure can help you strengthen your cybersecurity in good time before the festive season. Talk to us.
