As summer winds down, many professionals are still taking time off for long weekends or late-summer vacations. But while your team might be unplugging, cybercriminals are not. This time of year often sees a rise in travel-related cyber scams, many of which can compromise not just personal data but also your organization’s cybersecurity posture.

From impersonated booking websites to fake Wi-Fi hotspots, these threats don’t just target the individual; they can quickly become an entry point into your business environment if corporate devices or credentials are involved.

As your Managed Service Provider, we actively monitor and protect against these seasonal threats, but understanding the tactics involved can help your teams stay cautious, especially when using company resources while travelling.

1. Vacation Rental Scams: Personal Threats with Corporate Consequences

Fake vacation rental listings are an ongoing threat, especially for last-minute travellers. These scams often involve cloned listings from legitimate sites such as Airbnb or VRBO, designed to appear credible through real photos and competitive pricing.

According to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, travel-related fraud remains a growing concern, particularly when transactions occur outside trusted platforms. If a team member books one of these fake listings using a work device or connects to public Wi-Fi to complete a transaction, they may unintentionally expose corporate credentials or sensitive data.

What We’re Doing:

• We implement web protection tools that flag suspicious websites and URLs on all company-managed devices.
  
  

2. Lookalike Booking Websites: High Risk in a Hurry

When time is short, even savvy users may accidentally engage with fraudulent booking platforms that closely mimic real ones. These sites often appear through paid ads or phishing emails, and can harvest sensitive data or inject malware.

Our Role:

• We maintain DNS filtering and anti-phishing protection to help prevent access to known malicious or spoofed domains.
  
  

• Email threat protection services are in place to filter out deceptive promotional offers and fake travel confirmations before they land in your inbox.
  
  

3. Phishing Emails Disguised as Travel Confirmations

Fake confirmation emails for flights, hotels, or rental services are increasingly sophisticated, often including personal details, fake booking numbers, and professional-looking attachments. These messages may lead to credential harvesting or malware infections.

Our Defence Measures:

• Your corporate email systems are equipped with advanced threat protection, sandboxing, and filtering that block or isolate suspicious attachments and links.
  
  

• We actively monitor for targeted phishing campaigns and alert your team to any emerging travel-related threats.
  
  

4. Public Wi-Fi Risks: A Threat to Your Data and Devices

Free Wi-Fi at airports, hotels, or cafés is convenient but also vulnerable. Cybercriminals set up rogue access points with names that mimic legitimate networks, leading to potential data interception and "man-in-the-middle" attacks.

Even a casual login to a work email account over unsecured Wi-Fi can compromise business information.

How We Help:

• We enforce endpoint protections and VPN requirements for secure remote access.
  
  

Best Practices Before Business Travel (Already in Place or Available by Request)

While we proactively secure your systems year-round, these layered controls are particularly relevant for travel season:

• Multi-factor authentication across all business platforms
  
  

• Cloud-based backup and secure file access for remote work
  
  

• Automated patch management to close security gaps in software
  
  

• Transaction monitoring tools and alerts for suspicious financial activity
  
  

If your team needs additional training or travel-specific security guidance, we’re happy to provide that support.

Final Thoughts: Keeping Your Business Safe While You Unplug

Cybercriminals don’t care if it’s a long weekend or a mid-summer getaway; they exploit moments when attention is low and access is high. While we remain focused on protecting your environment, awareness within your team remains valuable.

If anyone on your staff encounters a suspicious travel-related message, booking site, or Wi-Fi network while on the road, encourage them to reach out to us. We’ll investigate immediately.

Have questions about how to keep your team cyber-safe during travel? We’re here to help.

Let’s make sure your vacation time stays relaxing for you, your team, and your data.