August 18, 2025
Summer may slow things down for your team, but cybercriminals stay active year-round — and August is their sweet spot.
In fact, data from vendors like ProofPoint and Check Point show phishing attempts increase in the summer months. Here's why that matters, and what you can do about it.
Why the Risk Goes Up in August
Cyberattackers love exploiting the "summer travel bug."
Check Point Research found a 55% spike in new travel-related website domains created in May 2025 versus the same time last year. Over 39,000 new domains popped up, and 1 in every 21 was flagged as malicious or suspicious.
That means more scammy Airbnb confirmations, fake hotel bookings, and bogus travel deal emails headed your employees' way — and your network could pay the price for one wrong click.
August also marks the back-to-school season. Scammers spin up fake university emails and portals, catching staff and students off guard. Even if you're not in education, your employees might be working on a degree or helping their kids apply — and checking personal email on work devices.
The AI Factor: Why Phishing Is Harder to Spot Now
Attackers are using AI to write clean, convincing emails. The old red flags like typos and grammar slips? They're disappearing.
So you and your team need to be sharper than ever. Here's how:
Phishing Protection Tips
- Check Sender Info & URLs: Don't just read the content — hover over links and inspect sender addresses closely. Look out for misspellings, weird characters, or suspicious domain endings (like ".today" or ".info").
- Search Before You Click: If an email references a booking or deal, open a new tab and search for the business yourself instead of clicking the link.
- Use MFA Everywhere: Multifactor authentication adds a second layer of defense, even if login credentials are compromised.
- Avoid Public Wi-Fi Without a VPN: Hotel, airport, or coffee shop Wi-Fi can expose you. Use a VPN whenever you're away from the office.
- Keep Personal Email Off Work Devices: It's easy to blur the lines, especially during travel or busy seasons. But checking personal accounts on work machines can open your network to threats.
- Ask About Endpoint Security: Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR) tools help catch and contain threats before they spread, giving your MSP visibility and control when seconds matter.
Don't Let Your Guard Down Just Because It's Summer
Cyberattacks don't take vacations.
If you want to make sure your team's covered before phishing season peaks, book a FREE Cybersecurity Assessment. We'll check your systems for gaps and give you clear steps to lock them down.
