August 18, 2025
While you and your team may be returning from vacation, cybercriminals remain relentlessly active. 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 masquerading as hotel and Airbnb sites, reveals Check Point Research. They identified a 55% rise in new vacation-related website domains in May 2025 compared to last year, with over 39,000 domains registered—1 in 21 flagged as malicious or suspicious.
Additionally, late summer coincides with back-to-school season, leading to a spike in phishing emails impersonating universities targeting students and staff. Even if your industry isn't directly affected, employees checking personal emails on work devices can inadvertently expose your business to cyber threats with just one wrong click.
How to Protect Yourself and Your Team
As AI enhances cybersecurity defenses, it also enables cybercriminals to craft more convincing phishing scams. Training yourself and your team to recognize threats is crucial to avoid falling victim to malicious links.
Essential safety tips to safeguard your organization:
• Vigilantly scrutinize suspicious emails. Don't rely solely on spotting typos or poor grammar—AI can generate polished emails. Always verify the sender's email address and inspect visible links to confirm authenticity.
• Carefully verify URLs. Watch for misspellings or unusual domain extensions like .today or .info, which are commonly used in scam websites.
• Access websites directly. Instead of clicking links in emails or messages, type the website address yourself to avoid phishing traps.
• Enable Multifactor Authentication (MFA). MFA adds an extra layer of security, protecting your login credentials and sensitive data even if a breach occurs.
• Use caution on public WiFi. When accessing sensitive information like booking sites or bank accounts over public WiFi, always use a VPN for enhanced protection.
• Avoid personal email on work devices. Keeping personal accounts separate from business devices reduces your risk of exposure to cyber threats.
• Consult your MSP about endpoint security. Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) tools monitor devices, block phishing attempts, and alert your MSP immediately if a breach occurs, minimizing data exposure.
Phishing attacks grow more sophisticated daily, accelerated by AI advancements. The best defense is a well-informed team. Stay educated, stay vigilant, and keep your organization secure.
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