August 18, 2025
While you and your team might be returning from vacation, cybercriminals are relentlessly active. Research from ProofPoint and Check Point reveals that phishing scams actually increase during the summer months. Here's how to stay vigilant and safeguard your business.
Why The Summer Months Are Riskier
Cyber attackers exploit summer travel trends by mimicking popular hotel and Airbnb sites, according to Check Point Research. They report a 55% surge in new travel-related domain registrations in May 2025 compared to the previous year, with over 39,000 domains recorded — and alarmingly, 1 in 21 sites flagged as suspicious or malicious.
Late summer also coincides with the back-to-school season, leading to more phishing attempts disguised as genuine university emails aimed at students and staff. Even if your business isn't in the education sector, employees accessing personal email for school or vacation planning on work devices can unintentionally open doors for cyberattacks.
How To Protect Your Business
AI-driven advancements enhance cybersecurity but also make phishing scams more deceptive. That's why thorough training for you and your staff to recognize suspicious signs is crucial to preventing dangerous clicks.
Follow these essential cybersecurity tips:
• Vigilantly scrutinize emails. Beyond looking for misspellings or awkward sentences, verify the sender's email address and carefully inspect any visible URLs to confirm authenticity, as AI-generated emails can look very convincing.
• Always double-check URLs. Be wary of unusual domain extensions like .today or .info or misspelled web addresses, which are often signs of fraudulent sites.
• Navigate to websites directly. Instead of clicking on links in messages or emails, type website addresses into your browser or search for the official site to avoid scams.
• Enable Multifactor Authentication (MFA). This extra security layer keeps your accounts safe even if login details are compromised, protecting vital business data.
• Use caution on public WiFi. When accessing sensitive info like booking tools or financial accounts over public networks, secure your connection with a VPN for enhanced protection.
• Avoid personal emails on work devices. To minimize risks, keep personal email, messaging, and social media on personal gadgets, reserving work devices strictly for business use.
• Consult your MSP about endpoint security. Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) solutions monitor your computers and mobile devices to spot and block phishing and malicious activity, alerting your MSP instantly to contain threats.
Phishing techniques are evolving rapidly, fueled by AI advancements. The best defense is staying informed and equipping your team with the knowledge to identify threats. Stay alert and keep your data secure!
Kick off the season with confidence -
