January 26, 2026
While most people are setting goals for the new year, cybercriminals are doing the same thing.
They are not talking about work-life balance or going to the gym. They are reviewing what worked last year and planning how to steal more money in the next one.
And small businesses are at the top of their list.
Not because you are careless.
Because you are busy.
And busy businesses are easier to trick.
Here is what cybercriminals are planning for 2026 and how to shut them down.
Resolution #1: Send Phishing Emails That Don't Look Fake Anymore
The days of obvious scam emails are over.
Today's phishing messages are written with AI and designed to look completely normal. They often:
• Sound professional and polite
• Use your company's language
• Reference real vendors you work with
• Avoid obvious red flags
They do not rely on bad grammar or wild stories. They rely on timing.
January is perfect timing. Everyone is catching up from the holidays, moving fast and trying to clear their inbox.
A modern phishing email might look like this:
"Hi [your name], I tried sending the updated invoice, but the file bounced back. Can you confirm this is still the right email for accounting? I've attached the new version. Thanks, [real vendor name]"
No urgency. No wire transfer request. Just something that feels routine.
How to stop it:
• Train your team to verify requests involving money or login information using a second method
• Use email security tools that flag impersonation attempts
• Encourage employees to question requests instead of rushing to be helpful
Verification should be praised, not discouraged.
Resolution #2: Impersonate Your Vendors or Your Boss
This is one of the most expensive scams businesses fall for.
A fake email arrives saying a vendor has changed bank details. Or a text appears from "the CEO" asking for an urgent payment.
In some cases, it is not even text anymore.
Deepfake voice scams are increasing. Criminals can clone a voice from public videos, podcasts or voicemail greetings. The call sounds real because it is designed to.
This is not science fiction. It is already happening.
How to stop it:
• Require phone verification using known numbers for any banking or payment changes
• Do not move money without verbal confirmation through an established process
• Enable multifactor authentication on all finance and admin accounts
Even if a password is stolen, MFA stops the attack.
Resolution #3: Target Small Businesses More Than Ever
Large companies have invested heavily in security. Insurance requirements are stricter. Attacks are harder and riskier.
So criminals changed strategy.
Instead of one large attack, they now go after many smaller ones. Fifty thousand dollars from one business is easier than five million from a corporation.
Small businesses have:
• Real money worth stealing
• Valuable data worth ransoming
• Fewer security controls
• No dedicated security team
The belief that "we are too small to be a target" is one of the biggest risks.
How to stop it:
• Implement basic protections like MFA, regular updates and tested backups
• Accept that small businesses are prime targets, not invisible ones
• Work with a professional partner who monitors and protects your systems
Most attackers move on when a business is no longer easy.
Resolution #4: Exploit New Hires and Tax Season Chaos
January brings new employees. New employees want to help and are less likely to question authority.
That makes them ideal targets.
A message that says, "Hi, this is the CEO. I need help with something urgent," is far more likely to succeed with someone who just started.
Tax season adds another layer of risk. Criminals impersonate HR or leadership to request W-2s or payroll data. Once that information is stolen, employees deal with fraudulent tax filings and identity theft.
How to stop it:
• Include security awareness as part of onboarding
• Put clear policies in writing, such as never sending W-2s by email
• Reward employees who verify requests instead of rushing
Helping safely is better than helping fast.
Prevention Beats Recovery Every Time
There are two ways to deal with cybersecurity.
React after an attack:
Downtime, emergency costs, customer notifications and reputation damage.
Prevent the attack:
Security controls, training and monitoring that run quietly in the background.
Prevention costs less, takes less time and avoids the stress entirely.
You do not buy a fire extinguisher after a fire. You buy it so you never need it.
How to Ruin a Cybercriminal's Year
A strong IT partner helps keep your business off the easy-target list by:
• Monitoring systems around the clock
• Tightening access so one stolen password does not unlock everything
• Training your team on modern, realistic scams
• Enforcing verification rules for payments and sensitive data
• Testing backups so ransomware is an inconvenience, not a disaster
• Applying updates before criminals exploit known weaknesses
This is prevention, not panic.
Take Your Business Off Their List
Cybercriminals are optimistic about the year ahead. They are counting on businesses being busy, understaffed and unprepared.
You do not have to be one of them.
Book a New Year Security Reality Check.
In 15 minutes, we will show you where you are exposed, what matters most and how to protect your business without unnecessary complexity.
Because the best New Year's resolution is making sure your business is not helping someone else achieve theirs.
