Summer is a great time to unplug.
Take that long-overdue trip.
Spend a few extra hours outdoors.
But here’s the thing: cybercriminals don’t take time off.
In fact, summer is prime time for them to strike.
Why?
Because they’re counting on your team being stretched thin, distracted, or offline entirely. A
nd they know that if no one’s watching, it’s easier to slip in unnoticed.
Let’s talk about how to make sure your business doesn’t get blindsided.
Why Cyber Threats Spike in the Summer
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Reduced staff coverage
When key people are out, security updates get postponed. Alerts go unchecked. That’s exactly what hackers are hoping for. -
Slower response times
If an incident does happen—say, someone clicks a phishing link—will anyone catch it in time? Or will it sit for days while the attacker digs deeper? -
More remote work and travel
Public Wi-Fi at airports and hotels. Laptops on untrusted networks. Employees working from cabins or Airbnbs. All of it increases your exposure.
What Can Go Wrong
Imagine this: an employee is out of office.
Their email auto-reply includes their name, title, and dates away.
A cybercriminal spoofs their account and emails another staff member with an “urgent wire transfer” request.
No one thinks twice—after all, the boss is on vacation.
By the time anyone realizes it’s fake, the money’s gone.
We’ve seen real businesses fall for this.
It’s preventable.
But only if you’ve got eyes on the system and plans in place.
5 Things to Lock Down Before You Head Out
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Check your backups
Don’t assume they’re working. Test them. If you got hit with ransomware tomorrow, could you recover? -
Use MFA everywhere – it counts
Multi-factor authentication is one of the simplest, most effective ways to block account takeovers. If you haven’t rolled it out company-wide yet—now’s the time. -
Train your team (again)
Summer is peak season for phishing. Look out for fake “delivery missed” notices, travel confirmations, or password resets. If something feels off, it probably is. -
Update and patch everything
From firewalls to firmware, unpatched systems are a wide-open door. Get your updates done before vacation season kicks in. -
Watch those out-of-office replies
Skip the specifics. “I’ll be back on July 5” is an invitation. Just say you’re unavailable and direct urgent issues to a shared inbox or alternate contact.
Who’s Watching While You’re Away?
The best security tools in the world won’t help if no one’s around to respond.
Make sure:
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Someone is on call for IT emergencies
-
You have a clear escalation process
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You’re not relying on a single person (who might also be taking time off)
This is where a managed IT partner like DS Tech makes all the difference.
We don’t just monitor your systems—we stay ahead of issues, even when your office is half-empty.
Final Word
We want you to take that vacation.
Get some sun.
Recharge.
But don’t let your business security go dark in the process.
Because hackers don’t take holidays.
Need help making sure your systems are covered this summer?
Let’s set up a quick call.
We’ll review your current setup and flag any weak spots—before they become problems.
