Summer Cybersecurity Tips: Keep Your Business Safe While Staff Are on Holiday

Summer’s a great time to unwind, take a break, and enjoy a slower pace but sadly, cybercriminals don’t share the same mindset. In fact, the quieter summer months can be when businesses are most vulnerable. That’s why it’s a good idea to take a look at a few key summer cybersecurity tips to keep things secure while your team are away.

When staff are off on holiday and the office is running on reduced numbers, it’s easier for things to slip under the radar. One of the biggest risks at this time of year is phishing. Hackers often look for out-of-office replies and then impersonate those staff members, hoping someone will fall for a fake invoice or “urgent” request. A quick reminder to your team to be extra cautious with emails can make all the difference.

Remote access is another thing worth checking. If someone’s logging in from a hotel or a holiday cottage, are they using a secure VPN? Is two-factor authentication enabled? It’s also worth trimming back access permissions temporarily only give access to those who really need it.

Backups are easy to forget about until they’re needed. Make sure yours are running as expected, stored somewhere safe (ideally offsite or in the cloud), and have been tested recently. A backup that doesn’t restore properly isn’t much use in a crisis.

It’s also a good time to make sure there’s a clear plan in place in case anything does go wrong. Does your team know who to call? Is someone available to step in if needed?

At 39D, we help businesses stay protected all year round — including the summer lull. If you’d like a quick IT check-up or some honest advice, get in touch.

You can also find helpful guidance on the National Cyber Security Centre website, especially for small businesses looking to boost their defences.