June 16, 2025
You set it. You forget it. Then, 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—the simple message designed to keep things organized—is actually a treasure trove of information for attackers looking for an easy way in.
Let's break it down. A typical out-of-office message might include:
- Your name and title
- Dates you're unavailable
- Alternate contacts with their e-mail addresses
- Internal team structures
- Even details about why you're away ("I'm at a conference in Chicago…")
This gives cybercriminals two big advantages:
1. Timing: They know you're away and less likely to notice 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 is sent.
Step 2: A hacker uses it to impersonate you or your listed 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, assumes the request is legitimate.
Step 5: You return from vacation to discover someone has sent $45,000 to "a vendor."
This happens more often than you might think and is especially risky for businesses with frequent travelers.
If your company has staff who travel regularly, especially executives or sales teams, and someone else handles communications in their absence (like a personal assistant or office admin), this creates ideal conditions for cybercriminals:
- The admin handles e-mails from multiple people
- They are accustomed to managing payments, documents, or sensitive requests
- They work quickly and trust the people they believe they are hearing from
One well-crafted fake e-mail can slip through, leading to costly breaches or fraud incidents.
How To Protect Your Business From Auto-Reply Exploits
The answer isn't to eliminate out-of-office replies—it's to use them carefully and add safeguards. Here are some tips:
1. Keep It Vague
Avoid detailed itineraries and don't list who's covering for you unless 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 info based on e-mail alone
- 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 the chances of impersonation attacks reaching your inbox.
4. Use MFA Everywhere
Enable multifactor authentication on all e-mail accounts. Even if a password is compromised, this prevents unauthorized access.
5. Work With An IT Partner Who Monitors Activity
A proactive IT and cybersecurity partner can detect login attempts, phishing attacks, and unusual behavior before damage occurs.
Want To Vacation Without Becoming A Hacker's Next Target?
We help businesses build cybersecurity systems that protect you—even when your team is out of office.
Click Here Click here or call us at 760-770-5200 to book your Quick and Easy 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.
