Video Transcript

Jen Easterly: Happy holidays everybody! I’m Jen Easterly, Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).

Bryan Vorndran: Happy holidays! I’m Bryan Vorndran, Assistant Director of the FBI’s Cyber Division.

Jen Easterly: As we enter the holidays, CISA and the FBI would like to share some tips to help our partners stay safe and secure during this holiday season.

Bryan Vorndran: Bad cyber actors aren’t making the same holiday plans as you – in fact, they may see the holidays as a good time to take advantage...

Jen Easterly: ...of the vulnerabilities inside your networks and systems while staffing is low and offices are closed.

Bryan Vorndran: Luckily, there are steps you can take to proactively protect yourself and your business against disruptive or damaging cyberattacks...

Jen Easterly: ...so you can focus on what’s most important, and that is time with family and friends.

Bryan Vorndran: CISA and the FBI encourage IT leaders, and leaders of businesses large and small, to take actions today...

Jen Easterly: ...that will help protect your systems and data:

Bryan Vorndran: Okay first, identify IT security employees for weekends and holidays who would be available to surge...

Jen Easterly: ...during these times in the event of an incident or ransomware attack.

Bryan Vorndran: Next, require all staff to use strong passwords and ensure they use different passwords for each account.

Jen Easterly: And, put multi-factor authentication in place for remote access and administrative accounts.

Bryan Vorndran: In fact, this is a good practice for all your personal online accounts.

Jen Easterly: If you use remote desktop protocol (RDP) or any other potentially risky service, ensure it is secure and monitored.

Bryan Vorndran: Talk with employees about how to recognize Phishing emails and why they should never click on a suspicious link.

Jen Easterly: And finally, review and update your incident response and communications plan.

Bryan Vorndran: We urge network defenders to prepare and remain alert over the upcoming holiday season and to quickly report any suspicious activity.

Jen Easterly: Remember, cyber risk is business risk, and cyber security is national security.

Bryan Vorndran: Together, we can defend America’s values, ingenuity, critical infrastructure, and business equities through robust and enduring partnerships.

Jen Easterly: Ultimately, good cybersecurity is not about technology – it's about people.

Bryan Vorndran: Your cyber safety should be treated like your physical safety.

Jen Easterly: Stay vigilant, take action to protect yourself and trust your instincts.

Bryan Vorndran: If something doesn't look right, there's a good chance it isn't.

Jen Easterly: Let’s work to make sure we can all enjoy some peace of mind this holiday season.