☀️ How to Secure Your Business During Employee Summer Vacations
As July rolls in and employees begin heading out for summer vacations, many organizations experience a seasonal slowdown. But while business operations may ease up, cybersecurity threats do not take a break. The summer season presents a unique opportunity for cybercriminals to exploit gaps in monitoring, reduced staffing, and relaxed digital behaviors.
Whether it’s an unattended laptop, an out-of-office reply that reveals too much information, or a temporary access approval that gets forgotten, the risks associated with employee time off can quickly spiral if not proactively managed. That’s why organizations need a clear plan for keeping systems secure while employees recharge.
One of the biggest risks during this time is the delegation of responsibilities. It’s common for team members to take on duties from colleagues who are away, and in the process, they’re often granted access to applications, data, or platforms they wouldn’t normally use. This temporary access, while necessary, can become a long-term risk if not revoked properly. To reduce this exposure, ensure that all temporary access has a clear expiration date and is documented by the IT or security teams. Using automated tools to manage and revoke this access can prevent unnecessary privilege creep.
Remote access is another area of concern. Employees checking in from vacation rentals or hotel rooms might use unsecured Wi-Fi networks or personal devices. Without the proper precautions, this can open the door to man-in-the-middle attacks or malware infections. Before staff begin their vacations, it’s worth sending out a short reminder of secure remote work practices. Encourage the use of VPNs, strong passwords, and multi-factor authentication, and remind employees not to work from untrusted devices or public machines.
Out-of-office replies are a subtle but often overlooked risk. A generic auto-response might seem harmless, but it can signal to attackers that an employee is unavailable, creating an opportunity to impersonate them or target their team members. It’s a good idea to review internal guidelines on OOO replies and encourage employees to keep messages brief, professional, and vague when communicating with external contacts. Avoid sharing names of coworkers or internal reporting structures unless absolutely necessary.
Reduced monitoring is another issue. With IT and security staff also rotating through their own vacations, detection and response times may slow down. It’s essential to ensure that someone is still actively monitoring alerts, logs, and access requests, even if the team is smaller or distributed. If your organization relies on a managed security service provider (MSSP), confirm their coverage schedule during the summer months to ensure continuity.
July also presents a natural opportunity to conduct a mid-year cybersecurity review. This doesn’t need to be an intensive overhaul, but reviewing stale user accounts, applying pending software patches, and testing your incident response playbook can help reduce overall risk. Even just blocking unused admin accounts or retiring legacy systems can improve your organization’s security posture heading into the second half of the year.
Security awareness should also remain a priority during this time. Consider sending a brief refresher to all staff on summer-related threats, such as phishing emails that impersonate HR or travel providers, or emphasizing the importance of reporting lost or stolen work devices. These kinds of reminders help reinforce the security culture you’ve been building all year and empower employees to protect themselves and company data while they’re away from the office.
Ultimately, summer vacations are essential for employee wellbeing, but they don’t have to compromise your cybersecurity. With a bit of proactive planning, consistent communication, and smart use of automation, your organization can stay secure and resilient throughout the summer months.
So let your teams relax. Just make sure your security posture doesn’t.
