Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the net,
Not a creature was stirring, not even a botnet.
The firewalls were hung by the servers with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas would not find malware.

But in the glow of our twinkling, festive LED lights,
The digital Grinches were plotting their cyber plights.
They didn’t want toys, or cookies, or cheer,
They wanted your data, your passwords, your gear!

First, there was Phishy McFisherson, with emails galore,
Promising Christmas deals, but really, he’s a conniving little whore.
He’ll wrap up his phishing with a bow made of spam,
Hoping you’ll click, and fall into his scam.

Then came the Grinch of Wi-Fi, a cunning old elf,
He’ll steal your connection from your neighbor’s shelf.
He’ll snoop on your shopping, your streaming, your chat,
All while you’re sipping eggnog, and wearing that hat.

Don’t forget about Ransomware Rudy, a real naughty one,
He’ll encrypt your files, leaving you with none.
He’ll demand his ransom in Bitcoin, quite fast,
You’ll wish you’d backed up, as you sip your last blast.

But fear not, dear users, for I bring you good tidings,

Here are some tips to keep your devices from backsliding:

• Update Your Software: Santa likes his list checked twice; so should your updates, especially nice!
• Strong Passwords: Make them like a fruitcake, complex and hard to swallow for criminals.
• Two-Factor Authentication: Like having two reindeer pulling your sleigh, it’s twice as secure.
• Beware of Links: If an email from Santa asks for your bank details, it’s probably not him.
• Backup Your Data: Because when ransomware strikes, you’ll want to restore the Christmas spirit, not despair.

And as for those Grinches, with their evil intent,
Let’s outsmart them with tech that’s meant to prevent.
Keep your antivirus running, like Santa’s sleigh,
And your network secure, come what may.

As you log off this Christmas Eve night,
Remember this blog post, keep your digital life tight.
With your cybersecurity all in check,
You can enjoy your holiday, without a the tech wreck.

So from me to you, have a merry, secure Christmas,
And if you see a crook hacker, just give ’em the old “Ho, ho, ho, miss!”
Stay vigilant, stay safe, and have a jolly good night,
Because in the realm of cyberspace, we must all fight the good fight.

Merry Christmas!

-Evan