Black Friday and Cyber Monday have become two of the most profitable and risky moments in the digital calendar. As online sales surge, so does cyber criminal activity. Attackers know that organisations are under pressure, systems are running hot, and security teams are stretched.
The result? A perfect window for exploiting vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, or human error.
This year, cyber criminals are expected to use more automated attacks, more targeted social engineering campaigns, and more sophisticated payment related fraud. To stay resilient, companies must be proactive, not reactive. Preparation is no longer a best practice, it’s a business necessity.
Below is a guide to Black Friday readiness: a blend of technical safeguards, operational preparation, and people-centric resilience.
1. Prepare Early
The strongest defence starts months before November, but don’t worry we have more tips for immediate action and you can add these to next year’s activity planning.
- Run security audits and tests across websites, APIs, and systems to fix weaknesses early.
- Rehearse your incident response plan so teams know exactly how to act when seconds matter.
- Protect critical data with secure, encrypted, and regularly tested backups.
- Stress test platforms to handle traffic spikes without exposing weak points.
2. Fortify Your Technical Infrastructure
Attackers increasingly target integrations and outdated systems.
- Patch everything – CMS, plugins, OS, gateways, APIs.
- Strengthen network and endpoint protection with modern detection tools.
- Secure payment journeys with PCI-compliant platforms, 3D Secure, and tokenisation.
- Enforce strict access controls, MFA, and least-privilege permissions across all accounts.
3.Build People First Cyber Resilience
Even the best tech fails without informed people.
Train staff regularly to recognise phishing and social engineering.
- Educate customers on safe shopping habits to minimise fraud risks.
- Monitor threat intel and dark-web activity for signs of brand impersonation or stolen data.
Final Thoughts
Black Friday is a prime time for cyber crime. but with proactive preparation, strong infrastructure, and trained teams, organisations can significantly reduce risk.
At Code Nation, we encourage businesses to treat Black Friday readiness as a strategic priority, not a seasonal task. Strong security protects your platform, your customers, and your brand.