Festive checklist to protect your Christmas gifts from cybercriminals

The UK government has released “a festive security checklist” with top tips to help you secure your Christmas gifts from cyber-Scrooges.

Christmas is one of the most exciting times of the year, as both children and adults receive new high-tech toys – from smartwatches and laptops to AI toys and tablets.

You should be able to enjoy those gifts, and the UK government is offering some advice on how to make them not only enjoyable but also safe. According to cited research, 45% of UK adults planned to buy electronic devices for Christmas in 2024, while the average UK household owns nine connected devices.

Meanwhile, in the US, the Consumer Technology Association reported that 88% of US shoppers plan to buy technology products this holiday season, ranging from smartphones and wireless earbuds to subscriptions and streaming services.

With the prevalence of tech-first Christmas gifts in mind, consider the following checklist as a go-to approach to handling those gifts, as recommended by the UK government.

1. Set up 2FA

Enable 2-step verification on all new accounts when setting up your devices. This can stop up to 100% of all automated attacks and decrease the likelihood of phishing or brute-force attacks.

2. Create strong passwords

Creating a strong password can make all the difference. Note that password length and complexity are the greatest determinants when it comes to security. For example, recent research from Hive Systems shows that an 8-character, numbers-only password will be cracked instantly, while it would take 8 trillion years to crack an 18-character, lowercase-only letter password.

3. Set up parental controls

Set up parental controls on the device or opt for a parental control app to prevent access to harmful content, manage screen time, and monitor who your kids communicate with.

4. Adjust privacy settings

The UK government recommends turning off remote access and unnecessary data collection.

5. Enable automatic updates

Keep devices protected against discovered vulnerabilities with automatic updates.

“As you set up a smart device you received this Christmas, make sure it’s wrapped up in the essential security layers. Keeping your home and your information safe is the best present you can give yourself this year,” said NCSC Director for National Resilience, Jonathon Ellison.

The government cites additional analysis of millions of connected homes, revealing stark figures: devices see an average of 10 attacks every 24 hours, with security solutions blocking roughly 1,736 threats per minute.

This means that protecting your gadgets is essential, especially as tech gifts become increasingly more prevalent during the holiday season, to ensure that personal data, audio, or video from toys or monitors doesn’t end up in the wrong hands.