August 18, 2025
While you and your team may be returning from vacation, cybercriminals remain relentless. According to research from ProofPoint and Check Point, phishing attacks actually surge during the summer months. Here’s how you can stay vigilant and protect your business.
Why Are Summer Months Riskier?
Cybercriminals exploit the summer travel season by mimicking hotel and Airbnb websites, reveals Check Point Research. They reported a striking 55% rise in new vacation-related website domains in May 2025 compared to last year, with over 39,000 domains registered—one in 21 flagged as malicious or suspicious.
The late summer back-to-school period also triggers a spike in phishing emails impersonating legitimate university communications, targeting students and staff alike. Even if your industry isn’t directly affected, employees checking personal emails on work devices can inadvertently expose your entire business to cyber threats with a single wrong click.
How to Defend Against These Threats
With AI enhancing both cybersecurity and phishing tactics, it’s crucial to educate yourself and your team on recognizing suspicious activity to avoid falling victim.
Follow these essential safety tips to reduce your risk:
• Stay alert for suspicious emails. Don’t rely solely on spotting misspellings or poor grammar—AI can craft convincing messages. Always verify the sender’s email address and inspect any visible link text to ensure authenticity.
• Verify URLs carefully. Watch out for misspelled links or unusual domain extensions like .today or .info, which are common in scam websites.
• Access websites directly. Instead of clicking links in emails or messages, manually type the website address or use a trusted search engine.
• Enable Multifactor Authentication (MFA). MFA adds an extra security layer, protecting your login credentials and sensitive data even if a breach occurs.
• Exercise caution on public WiFi. When using public networks, connect via a VPN to safeguard access to sensitive sites like booking portals or banking.
• Avoid using personal email on work devices. Mixing personal and business accounts on the same device increases vulnerability. Keep personal communications on personal devices.
• Consult your MSP about endpoint security. Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) tools monitor devices, block phishing attempts, and alert your MSP instantly during breaches, significantly reducing your data exposure.
Phishing attacks grow more sophisticated daily, accelerated by AI advancements. The best defense is a well-informed team prepared to recognize and respond to threats. Stay educated, stay secure!
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