The holidays always bring the familiar glow of twinkling lights and warm gatherings. And for many lucky people, they also get the excitement of unwrapping new tech to enjoy year-round. Maybe it’s a phone you’ve had your eye on or a tablet for engaging in some cozy reading by the fire. Or perhaps you’ve finally received a laptop to replace the one you’ve been coaxing through the year.
And like most people, it doesn’t take long before you start checking an email, sending a message to a coworker or maybe accessing a file because it’s convenient.
These actions feel harmless enough, but they may also lead to you exposing your personal or work data to bad actors.
The holiday season is also when online threats begin to rise. Attackers take advantage of the thrill of the season, knowing many users rush through their initial setup steps. In fact, some experts detected four times as many phishing and malware attempts last year during this time.
There’s no need to stress. With a little care during setup and following the advice below from IT procurement experts, you can reduce risk for yourself and your organization before that new device becomes part of your daily routine.
Why New Devices Create New Risks for Businesses
New devices are exciting. But they can trip you up if you’re not careful. When you’re using a brand-new phone or laptop, it hasn’t yet been configured to meet your organization’s security standards.
And if your team is using their personal devices for everyday work tasks, that becomes even more challenging to oversee. Especially if they engage in what’s called shadow IT – using software inside an organization without your knowledge – it becomes harder to track access, troubleshoot issues, and maintain a consistent security posture across the organization. A device that isn’t enrolled in your organization’s security tools won’t have the same safeguards as approved hardware, creating vulnerabilities that IT teams can’t easily detect or protect against.
On top of that, most people skip early security steps. It’s natural to focus first on transferring photos, setting up apps, or trying new features. But too often, people neglect their privacy settings, password updates, and patches because they’re excited to get started.
Unfortunately, as soon as a device connects to work email, messaging tools, cloud drives, or shared documents, that lack of protection can expose data to threats.
The good news is that these risks can be managed with a device-centered zero trust approach. Only secure, compliant devices will be able to access your environment, no matter where employees are working. Below, we break down some ideas for how you can accomplish that:
Step 1: Secure Accounts Before You Sync Work Data
Don’t overlook your accounts when setting up a new device. If someone steals those credentials, even the most secure hardware becomes vulnerable. Protect them from the start by:
- Creating strong, unique passwords: A password manager makes this simple by applying best practices automatically. You’ll also prevent reused credentials across personal and work accounts, reducing the risk of one breach leading to another.
- Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA): MFA adds a critical layer of verification that helps block unauthorized access, even if a password is compromised.
- Be thoughtful about what you store online: While many platforms come with strong data protection, some data may be too sensitive to put at risk. Understanding which resources should live in the cloud can help you minimize a threat’s impact.
Step 2: Update Devices Right Out of the Box
New devices often arrive with software versions that are already weeks or months old. If updates aren’t installed right away, known vulnerabilities remain open, giving attackers an opportunity to access sensitive personal information or business data the moment the device goes online.
As soon as you can, you should install operating system updates and security patches. These updates close known vulnerabilities and strengthen your device’s built-in defenses.
It’s also critical to update pre-installed apps and firmware. Browsers, system apps, and firmware often carry critical security fixes that only take effect once you install the first update
Step 3: Review Privacy & Security Settings
Most new devices ship with default settings. Unless you review them early, your apps and services may collect excessive data or hold permissions that create unnecessary risk.
Taking a few minutes to adjust these options helps protect your information:
- Disable overly permissive default settings: Turn off features that automatically share data, connect to networks, or allow broad access.
- Check app-level permissions: Review which apps can use your camera, microphone, location, or contacts, and limit access to only what’s needed.
- Enable device tracking and remote wipe: After a local community organization experienced a break-in, we saw how helpful this feature can be. Should a device go missing, these tools allow you to track it or erase sensitive information from afar, which is especially vital if it connects to work email, chat, or files
Step 4: Protect the Home Network
A secure device can still be exposed on an unsecured home network. This matters for everyone, but especially for remote and hybrid employees who access company resources from home.
To reduce your risk, it’s important to update your router’s firmware to patch known vulnerabilities. You’ll also want to use a strong WiFi password to prevents outsiders from accessing your network and consider setting up a guest network for IoT devices.
Smart lights, plugs, speakers, and other connected devices don’t need to sit on the same network as your work laptop. If one of these devices gets attacked, segmentation lets you contain the damage.
Step 5: Install Reputable Security Software
The most effective cybersecurity is proactive, as threats often appear long before they show obvious signs. Here are a few ways you can protect your personal information and any business data you access from your devices:
- Use anti-malware tools, especially on laptops and Android devices, which monitor your device in the background to identify harmful activity
- Avoid “free” or unfamiliar security software, which often collect unnecessary data or include adware. Choose trusted options that are built to protect, not compromise, your device. An IT procurement expert can help you with that decision.
- Install advanced programs for business devices. Many workplaces rely on advanced endpoint protection like EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response), which monitors activity in real time and can identify suspicious behaviour early.
Step 6: Be Careful with Apps, Downloads & Holiday Scams
Security isn’t only about keeping dangers out; it’s about choosing carefully what you download and open. Around the holidays, attackers lean on convincing apps, emails, and shipping alerts to lure users into installing threats themselves.
To falling victim, make sure you only download apps only from official stores. Trusted app stores conduct security reviews, which reduces the risk that you’ll install malicious or deceptive software.
Also, make sure to watch for fake setup emails and delivery notifications. Scammers frequently send messages that look like account alerts, package updates, or onboarding instructions for new devices, especially during busy seasons, like the holidays or Black Friday. Knowing how to spot them can help you avoid giving your information to credential harvesting sites or downloading malware.
Step 7: What Organizations Can Do to Support Safe Device Use
Even when employees follow best practices, organizations still play a key role in keeping data and resources secure. Clear expectations and simple guidance help end users make the right choices when setting up or using new devices for work.
For many Calgary teams, this starts with a thoughtful IT procurement process that brings devices into the workplace securely configured and aligned with organizational requirements.
Here are a few ways organizations can help employees use new devices safely and consistently:
- Communicate clear BYOD guidelines: Explain what’s permitted, what’s restricted, and what steps employees need to take before using personal devices for work tasks.
- Require MFA and minimum-security standards for connected devices: When you set baseline requirements, every device accessing company systems will meet the same level of protection.
- Offer quick-start checklists or reminders: Short, easy-to-follow setup guides will give your end users the information they need to secure their devices without confusion or extra work.
- Encourage employees to report lost or stolen devices immediately: Early reporting allows IT to protect company accounts and data before issues escalate.
- Provide ongoing security awareness training: Human error is one of the most common entry points for cyberattacks. However, end-user awareness training can be a great counterpoint to that risk. When you teach your team to recognize and report suspicious online activity as threats evolve, your organization will reduce the likelihood of accidental breaches.
Secure Your Devices with PC Corp’s IT Procurement Experts
Securing a new holiday device doesn’t have to be a headache. Simple steps — like locking down your accounts, running updates, checking settings, and watching out for scams — make a big difference in keeping both you and your workplace safe. And when everyone participates in these practices, it becomes easier to build a stronger security posture across your team.
If your organization wants greater confidence in the devices entering your environment, working with our team at PC Corp to apply a thoughtful IT procurement strategy can help. By selecting and configuring technology with security in mind from the start, you can minimize vulnerabilities, streamline onboarding, and give your team tools that support your standards and workflows.
If you’re looking for guidance on procuring secure, reliable devices for your organization, our IT procurement services in Calgary can help. Contact us to get started.
