June 16, 2025
Set your out-of-office message once and forget it. But as you prepare for your trip, your inbox automatically sends out a notification:
"Hello! I'm away from the office until [date]. For urgent issues, please reach out to [coworker's name and email]."
Sounds simple and useful, right?
Unfortunately, this is exactly what cybercriminals are waiting to exploit.
Your automatic reply, designed to keep communication flowing smoothly, can unintentionally provide hackers with valuable information to breach your defenses.
Let's examine what a typical out-of-office message reveals:
● Your name and position
● Dates when you're unavailable
● Alternative contacts along with their email addresses
● Internal team organization details
● Even reasons for your absence (e.g., "I'm attending a conference in Chicago...")
This information gives cybercriminals two critical advantages:
1. Timing: They know exactly when you're away and less likely to detect suspicious activities.
2. Targeting: They can impersonate the right individuals and tailor their scams effectively.
This creates the perfect setup for phishing or business email compromise (BEC) attacks.
How These Scams Typically Unfold
Step 1: Your auto-reply is sent out.
Step 2: A hacker uses the information to impersonate you or the listed alternate contact.
Step 3: They send a fraudulent "urgent" request for wire transfers, passwords, or confidential documents.
Step 4: An unsuspecting coworker believes the request is legitimate.
Step 5: You return to find a substantial unauthorized transaction, such as $45,000 sent to a fake vendor.
Incidents like these are more common than you might expect and pose even greater risks for businesses with frequent travelers.
If your team includes traveling executives or sales staff, and communication is handled by assistants or office admins during absences, this creates ideal conditions for cyberattacks:
● Admins receive emails from multiple sources
● They routinely manage payments, documents, and sensitive requests
● They act quickly, trusting the apparent sender's identity
One cleverly crafted fake email can bypass defenses and expose your company to costly fraud or breaches.
Protect Your Business Against Auto-Reply Exploits
The answer isn't to eliminate out-of-office replies but to use them strategically and implement protective measures. Consider these tips:
1. Keep It Ambiguous
Avoid sharing detailed schedules or naming backup contacts unless absolutely necessary.
Example: "I'm currently out of the office and will reply upon my return. For immediate help, please contact our main office at [main contact info]."
2. Educate Your Team
Ensure employees understand:
● Never respond to urgent financial or sensitive requests based solely on email.
● Always verify unusual requests through a secondary channel, such as a phone call.
3. Deploy Email Security Solutions
Use advanced email filtering, anti-spoofing technologies, and domain protection to reduce impersonation risks.
4. Enable Multifactor Authentication (MFA)
Activate MFA on all email accounts to block unauthorized access even if passwords are compromised.
5. Partner with a Proactive IT Security Team
An experienced IT partner can monitor login attempts, detect phishing threats, and identify unusual activities before they cause harm.
Want to Enjoy Your Vacation Without Cyber Risks?
We specialize in building cybersecurity systems that protect your business—even when your team is out of the office.
Click Here or Call Us at 619-222-3232 to Schedule Your FREE 15-Minute Discovery Call.
We'll assess your vulnerabilities and guide you on securing your systems, so you can relax and trust your inbox remains safe while you're away.
