Summer is one of the most exposed periods from a cybersecurity perspective, yet it rarely gets attention until something has already gone wrong. Many organisations operate at half capacity during July and August. Key people are away, incident routines haven't been tested in months, and most smaller organisations have no clear plan for what happens when the alarm goes off. That's exactly the environment attackers plan for.
Some of the most common risks we see during the summer months:
Unmonitored systems and delayed response – Without automated detection, an attack can go unnoticed for days when the right person is unreachable. Having XDR or similar in place significantly reduces the risk, but you still need to make sure someone can actually act on alerts during the holiday period.
Increased exposure through temporary staff – More external logins, more ad hoc access, and lower security awareness among temporary employees is a combination that raises the risk considerably.
Phishing with a summer twist – Fake invoices, travel confirmations, and HR messages ("your holiday request has been approved") are classic methods that work precisely because they feel plausible.
For us as a distributor, this is an opportunity to support our partners ahead of summer, not just with technology but with practical guidance and the right solutions in place before it's too late. Backup, endpoint protection, MFA, and clear escalation paths don't require a major investment, but they can make all the difference if something does happen.
How are you preparing your customers for the summer?