Summer vacation is calling—but is your inbox putting your business at risk while you’re away?

Auto-replies seem innocent enough. You set them, forget them, and move on to packing your bags. But those out-of-office (OOO) messages can become an open invitation to cybercriminals, giving them everything they need to launch a successful phishing or impersonation attack.

If your business isn’t thinking about cybersecurity during vacation season, it’s already behind.

What Makes Your Auto-Reply So Dangerous?

Let’s break it down. A typical OOO message often includes:

  • Your name and title

  • Dates of your absence

  • An alternate contact with their e-mail address

  • Where you’ll be or why you’re away

Seems helpful, right? But to a hacker, it’s a gold mine.

With that one message, they now know:

  • Timing: You’re unavailable and less likely to notice suspicious activity.

  • Targeting: Who to impersonate and who to target inside your company.

That’s all it takes to craft a convincing Business E-mail Compromise (BEC) attack.

How This Scam Plays Out

  1. Your auto-reply is triggered and reveals internal contact info.

  2. A hacker poses as you or your backup contact.

  3. They send an urgent e-mail requesting wire transfers, passwords, or sensitive data.

  4. A colleague, thinking it’s real, follows through.

  5. You come back from vacation to discover thousands lost—or worse.

If your team handles bookings, payments, or time-sensitive client info, the stakes are even higher.

How To Protect Your Business From Auto-Reply Exploits

You don’t need to ditch OOO replies altogether. You just need to be smarter about them and strengthen your cybersecurity posture.

Keep Messages Vague

Don’t share where you are, who’s covering, or how long you’ll be gone unless absolutely necessary. Use a central contact instead.

Example:
“I’m currently out of the office. For immediate assistance, please contact our main office at [central e-mail or phone number].”

Train Your Staff To Pause Before Acting

Remind your team:

  • Never act on e-mail alone for urgent or financial requests.

  • Always verify changes in payment instructions or sensitive requests by phone or another channel.

  • Stay aware of social engineering tactics.

Sign up for our Cybersecurity Tip of the Week to keep security top of mind for your whole team.

Use E-mail Security Tools

Spam filters, anti-phishing tools, and domain protection software can flag spoofed e-mails before they ever reach an inbox.

Enable Multifactor Authentication (MFA)

MFA stops most unauthorized access attempts—even if someone’s password is compromised.

Partner With An IT Team That’s Watching

A network security provider can monitor suspicious login attempts, phishing campaigns, and account behavior, even when your key team members are offline.

Let’s Make Sure Your Auto-Reply Isn’t An Open Door

Your business doesn’t have to be vulnerable just because you’re on vacation. With a few changes—and a proactive security plan—you can relax, knowing your inbox won’t be the reason for your next IT emergency.

Book a FREE Security Assessment, and we’ll show you exactly where your vulnerabilities lie and how to fix them.

Or schedule a discovery call to learn how we help businesses protect their people, data, and reputation year-round.