TLDR:
August is prime time for cyber‑crooks. Vacation‑themed and back‑to‑school phishing lures rise sharply, Check Point Research found 55 % more malicious travel domains (39 000+) in May 2025. Train staff, tighten MFA, add endpoint protection, and keep personal email off work devices so one careless click doesn’t sideline your entire business.
Why Phishing Attacks Spike in August, and How Your SMB Can Stay Safe
Phishing Attacks Spike in August: Why Summer Means Higher Risk
Phishing attacks spike in August because cybercriminals piggy‑back on two seasonal behaviors:
- Vacation planning. Check Point Research logged 39 000+ new travel‑related domains in May 2025, 55 % more than last year, and 1 in 21 proved malicious or suspicious.
- Back‑to‑school bustle. Proofpoint’s 2024 State of the Phish also highlights that university‑themed lures consistently score among the highest click‑through rates each late summer.
Why it matters to Alabama, Georgia & Florida SMBs
Even if you don’t sell vacations or textbooks, an employee who:
- Checks personal Gmail on a company laptop
- Skims a “your reservation is ready” email while at work
- Uses hotel Wi‑Fi without a VPN
…can hand an attacker the keys to your network. One compromise jeopardizes client data, HIPAA compliance, and your reputation, high stakes for a 10‑ to 25‑user business.
You can only stay ahead with proactive (not reactive) IT
Spot the red flags
| Quick check | Why it helps |
|---|---|
| Sender domain scrutiny | Subtle typos (“airbbn.com”) or odd uncommonly used endings (.today, .info) signal risk. |
| Hover before you click | Link text can hide dangerous redirects. |
| Look for the urgency trap!!! | “Book now—offer expires in 1 hour!” pushes users to skip checks. |
Lock down the tech
- Multifactor Authentication (MFA) blocks >99 % of password‑only breaches.
- Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR) halts malicious processes in real time and best paired to an IT team for rapid containment verification.
- AUTOMATIC Business‑grade VPN for staff on hotel or campus Wi‑Fi.
- Email security awareness cadance: a 10‑minute micro‑module before Labor Day keeps best practices top‑of‑mind.
You must create (or approve IT to do it!) a human firewall – In each of your team members.
- Phishing simulations that mimic current travel and university lures reinforce vigilance.
- Clear policy: personal email and social media stay on personal devices, full stop.
- Positive reporting culture: praise employees who report suspicious messages; never shame accidental clicks 👉👈🫵🛑
Phishing Attacks Spike in August: Q&A Corner
Q: Why do phishing attacks increase in August?
A: Attackers exploit two seasonal behaviors, summer travel bookings and the back‑to‑school rush. They spin up fake travel domains and spoof university emails, banking on distracted users mixing personal planning with work devices. The result is a measurable spike in phishing attempts each August.
Phishing Attacks Spike in August: How Entech Can Help
These tips form a solid start, but true protection comes from a comprehensive, proactive strategy that aligns IT with your business goals and security budget. We mean it when we say “We’re in IT together.” we can strategize and execute and assure it continues!
Ready to start the season secure?
Schedule your FREE Cybersecurity Assessment with a real Entech expert, no chatbots, just people who make IT work for you.
Claims and source suggestions for additional reading
- 55 % rise & 39 k+ travel‑related domains (May 2025): Check Point Research – https://blog.checkpoint.com/research/check-point-research-warns-of-holiday-themed-phishing-surge-as-summer-travel-season-begins/
- University‑themed lures peak late summer: Proofpoint 2024 State of the Phish – https://www.proofpoint.com/us/resources/threat-reports/state-of-phish
- MFA blocks >99 % of account‑compromise attacks: Microsoft Security Blog – https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2019/08/20/one-simple-action-you-can-take-to-prevent-99-9-percent-of-account-attacks/