When Are Churches More At Risk of a Cyber Attack?

A digital presence is a necessity for organizations worldwide, churches have not been spared from the growing threat of cyber attacks. These communities find themselves grappling with the harsh reality of digital vulnerabilities. While cyber threats loom year-round, certain times and circumstances can heighten the risk for churches. Understanding these periods of increased vulnerability is crucial for religious organizations to bolster their defenses and protect their congregations.

Holiday Seasons

Religious holidays like Christmas and Easter are cornerstones for church communities. Often, these seasons are accompanied by a surge in charitable giving and online engagement. However, this increased activity also attracts cybercriminals. The volume of digital transactions and communications can provide ample opportunities for phishing schemes, malware distribution, and financial fraud. Churches must be especially vigilant during these times, ensuring secure handling of online donations and safeguarding their members' personal information.

Special Events

Church-hosted events, such as fundraisers, retreats, or charity drives, often involve significant digital communication and online financial transactions. These activities can open doors for attackers to exploit weaknesses in the church’s cybersecurity measures. Special attention should be paid to securing event registration platforms and financial transaction processes to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive data.

End of Financial Year

The end of the financial year is a critical time for any organization, including churches. It's a period characterized by extensive financial reporting and transactions, making churches ripe targets for cyber attacks. Attackers may attempt to intercept financial transfers or manipulate accounting information through phishing attacks aimed at church staff or volunteers.

During Crises

Times of crisis, such as natural disasters, global pandemics, or other emergencies, can see a spike in cyber crime activities. Cyber attackers often exploit the chaos and heightened emotional states to launch phishing campaigns or ransomware attacks, banking on the distracted focus of church administrators and the increased online interactions.

During Construction or Expansions

An often-overlooked period of vulnerability is during construction or expansion phases. These times of physical growth and change can also mean changes to a church's IT infrastructure, staff operations, and more! This can allow scammer to take advantage of the situation.

The incident that lead to the creation of Wholly Secure was one such scenario. A larger church was building out an expansion of their school. The office staff were managing contractors and paying invoices left and right. A cyber criminal overseas took notice of this activity and started to send invoices to this church. Pretending to be a sub-contractor working on the project. The project wrapped up but the office kept getting these invoices. They looked through their records and saw that all the invoices from them had been paid? This is when they began to realize what had happened. Through an internal audit, they discovered that they had been scammed of just over $250,000.

Cyber criminals do not care that you are a church. They do not respect you, your mission, or your religion. This is why churches MUST move towards a secure digital posture. To protect themselves, their congregations, their assets, and their mission.

Mitigating Risks

To mitigate these risks, churches must adopt a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy that includes regular security assessments, employee and volunteer training on recognizing phishing attempts, secure management of online transactions, and the implementation of robust cybersecurity software and protocols. Additionally, during times of construction or expansion, it's vital to work closely with IT professionals to ensure that new and updated systems are secure and that cybersecurity measures are integrated into the project from the start.

In conclusion, while the digital age offers churches unparalleled opportunities to connect with their congregations and further their missions, it also presents significant cyber threats. By recognizing the periods of increased risk and implementing proactive cybersecurity measures, churches can safeguard their digital environments, ensuring that they continue to serve as safe havens for their communities.

Contact Wholly Secure TODAY for a free consultation and initial assessment. We want to secure your mission. We want your church, your mission, and your community, to be set apart, and secure. https://whollysecure.com