June 16, 2025
You set it. You forget it. And just like that, while you're packing for vacation, your inbox starts automatically sending:
"Hi there! I'm out of the office until [date]. For urgent matters, please contact [coworker's name and e-mail]."
Sounds harmless, right? Convenient, even.
But that's exactly what cybercriminals want to see.
Your auto-reply — a simple message designed to keep things organized — is actually a treasure trove of information for attackers looking for an easy way in.
Let's examine what a typical out-of-office message might reveal:
- Your name and title
- Dates you're unavailable
- Alternate contacts with their e-mail addresses
- Internal team structures
- Even reasons for your absence ("I'm at a conference in Chicago…")
This gives cybercriminals two key advantages:
1. Timing: They know when you're away and less likely to spot suspicious activity.
2. Targeting: They know who to impersonate and who to target with scams.
This sets the stage for a perfect phishing or business e-mail compromise (BEC) attack.
How The Scam Usually Plays Out
Step 1: Your auto-reply message is sent.
Step 2: A hacker uses it to impersonate you or the alternate contact.
Step 3: They send an urgent e-mail requesting a wire transfer, password, or sensitive document.
Step 4: Your coworker, caught off guard, believes the request is legitimate.
Step 5: You return from vacation to discover a large sum of money sent to a fraudulent vendor.
This scenario is more common than you might think and is especially risky for businesses with frequent travelers.
If your company has employees who travel often — like executives or sales teams — and someone else manages communications for them while they're away, this creates ideal conditions for cybercriminals:
- The admin handles e-mails from multiple people
- They are accustomed to processing payments, documents, or sensitive requests
- They work quickly, trusting the messages they receive
- One carefully crafted fake e-mail can slip through and lead to costly fraud or a security breach.
How To Protect Your Business From Auto-Reply Exploits
The answer isn't to stop using out-of-office replies, but to use them carefully and implement safeguards. Consider these tips:
1. Keep It Vague
Avoid detailed itineraries. Only list alternate contacts if absolutely necessary.
Example: "I'm currently out of the office and will respond when I return. For immediate assistance, please contact our main office at [main contact info]."
2. Train Your Team
Make sure everyone knows:
Never act on urgent requests involving money or sensitive information based solely on e-mail.
Always verify unusual requests through a second channel, like a phone call.
3. Implement E-mail Security Tools
Use advanced e-mail filters, anti-spoofing measures, and domain protection to reduce impersonation risks.
4. Use MFA Everywhere
Enable multifactor authentication on all e-mail accounts. This blocks access even if a password is compromised.
5. Work With An IT Partner Who Monitors Activity
A proactive IT and cybersecurity partner can detect suspicious logins, phishing attempts, and abnormal behavior before harm occurs.
Want To Vacation Without Becoming A Hacker's Next Target?
We help businesses build cybersecurity systems that keep you safe — even when your team is out of the office.
Click Here Or Give Us A Call At 866-523-2985 To Book A
FREE 15-Minute Discovery Call.
We'll
check your systems for vulnerabilities and show you how to lock down the risks,
so you can actually enjoy that vacation without worrying about your inbox
betraying you.
