Picture this: You’re heading off on a well-deserved vacation, ready to relax and recharge. Before leaving work, you set up your out-of-office reply, letting colleagues and clients know when you'll be back and who to contact in your absence. Then, off you go, blissfully enjoying your time away.
But while you’re unwinding, cybercriminals are hard at work—using the details in your automatic email reply to launch phishing attacks.
How Cybercriminals Exploit Out-of-Office Messages
Phishing attacks rely on gathering personal details to create convincing scams. Automatic out-of-office replies can sometimes include:
-Your absence dates
-Your travel plans
-Personal contact information
-The names and contact details of colleagues covering for you
Cybercriminals use this information to impersonate you, tricking your coworkers into taking harmful actions—such as processing fraudulent payments or clicking on malicious links.
A Real-World Example
Let’s break it down with a scenario:
Sarah, a finance manager at a healthcare company, sets up an out-of-office reply before going on vacation. Her message says:
"I’m currently out of the office visiting my nephew in Florida and will return on April 2nd. For urgent matters, please contact James at james@company.com or call our main office line."
A cybercriminal sends a phishing email to Sarah’s organization and receives her automatic reply. Now armed with her absence dates, her alternate contact, and a personal detail about her trip, the scammer crafts a targeted attack.
The cybercriminal then emails Sarah’s colleague, Lisa, from a lookalike email address. Posing as Sarah, the email urgently requests a financial transaction, claiming James is also out and that she’s at the zoo with her nephew, making it impossible to handle the matter herself.
If Lisa believes the request is legitimate, the fraudulent transaction is processed, and the company loses money.
How to Protect Yourself from Out-of-Office Phishing Scams
While automatic replies are a useful workplace tool, they can also be an unintended security risk. Here’s how to prevent cybercriminals from exploiting them:
1. Keep Out-of-Office Messages Vague
✅ Share only necessary details, such as your return date and a general alternate contact.
✅ Avoid including personal information, like travel locations or specific colleagues’ names.
✅ Use generic phrasing, like “For urgent matters, please contact our main office.”
2. Implement Verification Processes
✅ Employees should always verify financial and sensitive requests using a secondary communication method, such as a phone call or internal messaging platform.
✅ Encourage a "zero-trust" approach—when in doubt, double-check before taking action.
3. Stay Extra Vigilant During Peak Vacation Seasons
✅ Phishing scams often increase during summer and holiday periods when many employees are out of the office.
✅ Train employees to recognize suspicious requests and to be cautious when handling urgent messages during these times.
Final Thoughts
Out-of-office messages might seem harmless, but they can provide cybercriminals with valuable details for crafting highly targeted phishing attacks. By limiting the information shared in automatic replies and ensuring proper verification processes are in place, organizations can significantly reduce their exposure to these threats.
Stay mindful, stay secure, and enjoy your vacation—without giving scammers an opportunity to exploit your absence.
If you do not currently have an IT provider or would like a second opinion on your network security, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our team. We are here to serve you in the Niagara Region and Simcoe County, 24/7/365.
Niagara: 905-228-4809
Barrie: 705-885-0993
Email: help@b4networks.ca
