With travel increasing in the summer months, it’s prime time for hackers to target consumers.
Remote workers who work from airports, hotels, or conference centers may be at the greatest risk due to fewer protections on low-security Wi-Fi networks.
Corporate attorney Maryam Meseha shares everything consumers need to know about spotting these cyberattacks, protecting against them, and traveling smarter and safer this summer.
Warmer weather might inspire many remote employees to pack their laptops and head to their nearest vacation destination. However, how many of us think about the risks that poses to our personal data?
Experts have found that summer travel increases the risk of cyberattacks, as travelers are connecting to Wi-Fi networks that aren’t secure, making them vulnerable to hackers.
Maryam Meseha, Esq., is a founding partner and co-chair of privacy & data security at Pierson Ferdinand, and a corporate attorney specializing in cybersecurity and data privacy. She shared insights with ConsumerAffairs on how we can all protect ourselves and our data this summer.
“Cybersecurity doesn’t go on vacation just because you do,” Meseha said. “Summer travel introduces new risks, from device theft to insecure networks to opportunistic phishing attacks. It only takes one moment of inattention to create long-term consequences, so travel smart, stay secure, and bring cybersecurity into your travel checklist.”
Why is summer prime time for cyberattacks?
Meseha explained that the increase in cyberattacks during this time of year is due to two primary factors: network exposure and behavioral shifts.
“More professionals are working remotely from hotels, airports, vacation rentals, and conference centers, all environments with varying levels of security,” she said. “Meanwhile, internal IT and compliance teams may be operating with reduced bandwidth due to vacations, making it harder to spot breaches in real time.
“Cybercriminals take advantage of this seasonal dip in vigilance to launch phishing attacks, impersonate booking platforms, and exploit unsecured public Wi-Fi to intercept sensitive information. This is also when many bad actors ramp up social engineering tactics, preying on distracted users who are logging in from unfamiliar networks.”
How to spot these scams
For those who plan on traveling in the coming months, there are ways to spot these scams.
“Connecting to Wi-Fi networks with generic names like ‘FreeHotelWiFi’ or ‘Airport_Guest’ should raise immediate caution, especially if no password is required,” Meseha said. “Airports will have a uniform access site that will help you differentiate it from scam. The ‘evil twin’ networks are often set up by hackers to mimic legitimate sources and harvest data.”
Other big red flags: emails or texts that have a serious sense of urgency or offers that seem too good to be true.
“Watch for suspicious emails or texts asking for immediate action, such as ‘reset your password now,’ ‘verify your travel itinerary,’ or ‘click here to claim a travel refund,’” she said. “Mismatched sender domains, poor grammar, vague phrasing, and unsolicited QR codes are also signs something isn’t right. When in doubt, verify directly with the source – don’t trust inbound messages at face value.”
The bigger picture
While these cyberattacks pose a risk to consumers’ personal data, they also can affect the companies they work for on a much larger scale.
“Employees using unsecured networks or personal devices to access work systems may unintentionally open the door to malware, ransomware, or credential theft,” Meseha said. “Once an attacker has a foothold, they can move laterally within a company’s systems, accessing client data, financial records, or IP.
“For the organization, this often triggers a cascade of issues: compliance violations, breach notification requirements, reputational damage, and even litigation. Regulatory bodies are clear, businesses are responsible for securing their data environments, even if the breach originates from a remote employee’s device or while traveling abroad.”
Staying safe from cyberattacks this summer
Meseha has some tips for all consumers to steer clear of cyberattacks while traveling this summer.
“Treat your network connections with the same level of caution as your passport or wallet,” she said. “Don’t log into sensitive systems from random Wi-Fi networks without a VPN. Carry a portable charger to avoid public USB ports – these can be compromised to install spyware. If you’re managing sensitive files or client information, encrypt your device and back it up before traveling.
“Keep work and personal browsing on separate devices if possible. And make sure you know your company’s response plan, who to contact, how to report a breach, and what steps to take if your device is lost or compromised. Flexibility is a benefit of remote work, but only if paired with discipline and digital safeguards.”