Vacation season means cybersecurity needs to be strengthened!

CSOonline.com reported that “Summer is a time for vacation and a well-deserved break from the intensity of work. It’s also a great time to be targeted for a cyberattack. While cybercriminal activity extends throughout the year, summer has a special quality for cyber attackers. Whether it’s because our guard is down more than usual, because the weather invites us to relax, various studies show that the summer is one of the peaks of the year in terms of criminal activity in all areas, and cybersecurity is no exception — with more aggressive and indiscriminate campaigns awaiting organizations across every industry.”  The August 1, 2025 article entitled “Summer: Why cybersecurity must be strengthened as vacations abound” (https://www.csoonline.com/article/4030931/summer-why-cybersecurity-needs-to-be-further-strengthened.html) included these comments about “Why do cyberattacks peak in summer?”:

First, remote work intensifies. The beach, the mountains. Too many attractions not to embrace teleworking.

“Many people connect from less controlled locations, such as second homes, hotels, or airports, using public or unsecured Wi-Fi networks, which are much more prone to attacks such as network spoofing or data interception,” says Guillermo Fernández, sales engineer for Southern Europe at WatchGuard Technologies. “Furthermore, those who are not used to working remotely on a regular basis may not be aware or have adequate knowledge of good digital practices. Added to this is the fact that, in many cases, to avoid taking their corporate laptop with them, some employees resort to personal devices with fewer security measures — outdated systems, without antivirus or encryption, for example — which further increases their exposure to risk.”

Another important point is that, during the summer, attackers know that many IT and cybersecurity teams are operating with more limited resources or with staff on vacation. “They take advantage of this to launch phishing campaigns and other targeted attacks, aware that attention and vigilance often decrease,” Fernández continues.

Finally, we must not forget the physical risk, as the mobility of devices also increases the likelihood of theft or loss, with the consequent danger of sensitive information falling into the wrong hands.

“Ultimately, summer isn’t just a time of rest; it’s also a time when companies must take extreme precautions and keep their cybersecurity policies active and adapted to the context,” he advises.

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