Cybercriminals don’t take summer vacations — but your staff might.
While your team is easing back into the office post-vacation, hackers are hard at work — and phishing scams are hitting their annual peak. According to new reports from Check Point and Proofpoint, phishing attempts spike sharply during the summer months, especially in August. If you think your firm is immune, think again.
Why the Risk Is Higher in Late Summer
Cybercriminals exploit seasonal habits. In May 2025 alone, there was a 55% increase in newly registered “vacation-related” websites, many impersonating hotels, Airbnb pages, and travel portals. Of the 39,000+ new domains created, nearly 1 in 21 was flagged as malicious or suspicious.
Back-to-school season only adds fuel to the fire, with phishing emails disguised as university alerts targeting staff and students. And here’s the kicker: many of your employees may check personal email or vacation bookings on their work device — creating a perfect window for attackers to gain access to your business systems.
Why This Matters to CPA Firms in Metro Atlanta
Whether it’s a team member enrolling in an MBA program, planning a fall getaway, or catching up on personal emails from the office, one wrong click could compromise your entire network. As a CPA firm, you handle sensitive financial records, tax documents, and client data — which makes you a high-value target.
7 Smart Ways to Protect Your Firm from Phishing
- Train your team to spot suspicious emails
AI-generated phishing emails are cleaner than ever. Don’t rely on spotting spelling errors alone. Teach your team to examine sender addresses, URLs, and unexpected attachments. - Double-check link URLs
Look out for weird domain endings like .info or .today — red flags for scam sites. - Type in website URLs manually
Never click on embedded links from emails or messages. Visit websites directly when in doubt. - Enable Multifactor Authentication (MFA)
MFA adds a crucial second layer of protection — stopping attackers even if a password is compromised. - Avoid accessing personal email on work devices
This simple boundary prevents crossover risk from less secure platforms. - Be cautious with public Wi-Fi
Always use a VPN when accessing sensitive data from hotels, airports, or cafes. - Use Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR)
Ask your Managed IT Provider about EDR — it actively monitors devices for phishing attempts, malware downloads, and strange behavior. If something gets through, it stops the damage fast.
Final Thoughts: Phishing Isn’t Going Away — It’s Getting Smarter
AI is making phishing more believable and more frequent. That’s why employee education and advanced security tools aren’t optional anymore — they’re essential.
At Custom Technologies, Inc., we help CPA firms across Metro Atlanta stay ahead of phishing threats with proactive monitoring, ongoing training, and clear communication — no tech jargon, just peace of mind.
🔐 Start the season secure — book your FREE Cybersecurity Assessment.
Custom Technologies, Inc.
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