Hackers Getting Geared up for Busy Season

Finextra: Hackers take the summer off before winter spike

With high profile data breaches making the headlines, firms may fear they're next this summer as IT staff go on their holidays. But they needn't worry - the hackers are taking a break themselves, according to a survey from security vendor Tufin Technologies.

At the annual Defcon event in Las Vegas this month a poll of 79 hackers found 89% will not be working overtime as IT professionals take off for the summer vacation.

Hackers appear to prefer winter, with 56% citing Christmas as the best time to engage in corporate hacking and 25% naming New Years Eve.

Michael Hamelin, chief security architect, Tufin Technologies, says: "It's received knowledge in the security world that the Christmas and New Year season are popular with hackers targeting western countries. Hackers know this is when people relax and let their hair down, and many organizations run on a skeleton staff over the holiday period."

The survey also reveals IT staff should be on their guard during weekday evenings, with 52% of hackers stating that this is when they spend most of their time working. In comparison, just 32% hack during work hours and 15% on weekends.



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