Cyber Security for Hair and Beauty Salons: Simple Steps to Protect Your Business

You're busy running a salon — cutting, colouring, treating, managing bookings, and keeping clients happy. Cyber security probably isn't something you think about much. But you do hold information that criminals value: your clients' contact details, payment data, and staff records. And there are a few simple scams and attacks that specifically target small businesses like yours.

The good news is you don't need to be a tech expert. Here's what you need to know — and five things you can do right now.

What Hackers Actually Want from a Salon

It's not glamorous, but here's the reality:

• Your client list (names, emails, phone numbers) can be sold or used to target your clients with scams
• Your payment data — if processed through Square or another terminal — is valuable if captured
• Your business Instagram or Google Business account can be hijacked and used to post scams to your followers
• Access to your booking or POS system lets someone see your whole client database

The Real Threats to Watch Out For

Fake Supplier Emails

You receive an email that looks like it's from a supplier — perhaps your colour brand or equipment company — saying their payment details have changed. You update your records and pay the next invoice to a criminal's account. Always call your supplier on a number you already have before changing payment details. Don't trust a number in the email.

Someone Using Your Booking System to Steal Client Data

If your Fresha, Timely, or Kitomba account uses a weak or reused password, someone could log in and download your client list. This is more common than you'd think — passwords stolen from other websites get tried on everything else.

Ex-Staff Still Logged In

A former employee who still has access to your Phorest, Shortcuts, or Square account can see your client list, your financials, or your bookings. Remove access on the day someone leaves.

Your Business Social Media Being Hijacked

Weak passwords on your business Instagram or Facebook mean someone can take over your account, post scams to your followers, or lock you out entirely. This can be devastating for a business that relies on social media for bookings.

Your Salon Wi-Fi

If your customer Wi-Fi is on the same network as your payment terminal, a technically savvy person sitting in your salon could potentially intercept payment data. Keep them separate.

Five Things Every Salon Owner Should Do

1. Turn On MFA for Your Email and Booking Software

Multi-factor authentication means that even if someone has your password, they need your phone to log in too. Turn it on for your email account (Gmail, Outlook) and your booking platform (Fresha, Timely, Kitomba). It's in the security settings and takes two minutes.

2. Remove Ex-Staff Access Immediately

When a staff member leaves, log into Fresha, Timely, Square, or Deputy — whichever tools they used — and remove or deactivate their account that day. Don't leave it for later. Later doesn't happen.

3. Set Up a Separate Wi-Fi for Customers

Most modern routers let you create a "guest" Wi-Fi network. Use this for customers, and keep a separate network for your payment terminal and your own devices. Your internet provider or a local IT person can help you set this up if you're unsure.

4. Be Suspicious of Emails Asking You to Update Payment Details

Any email from a "supplier" or "service provider" asking you to change their bank account details should be treated with suspicion. Don't act on it without calling the supplier directly using a number from their website or a previous invoice — not the number in the suspicious email.

5. Back Up Your Client Records

Make sure your booking system's data is backed up — most cloud-based platforms like Fresha and Timely do this automatically. If you keep any client records in spreadsheets or documents on your computer, back them up to a cloud service like Google Drive or iCloud regularly.

You Don't Need to Be a Tech Expert

These five steps don't require any special knowledge. They're the same basic protections that any small business should have in place. Start today: turn on MFA for your email and booking system, and next time someone leaves your team, remove their access before they walk out the door. That alone puts you ahead of most salons.