January 26, 2026
Right now, cybercriminals are crafting their own New Year's resolutions.
Unlike your goals centered on self-care or work-life balance,
their focus is on exploiting weaknesses from 2025 to maximize theft in 2026.
Small businesses like yours are prime targets.
Not due to negligence,
but because busyness creates openings.
And cybercriminals thrive on distractions.
Discover their 2026 strategy—and how to stop them in their tracks.
Resolution #1: "Craft Phishing Emails That Fool Everyone"
Gone are the days of clunky, obvious scam emails.
Artificial intelligence now generates messages that:
- Sound entirely authentic
- Mirror your company's communication style
- Include names of actual vendors you work with
- Exclude typical warning signs
Modern phishing relies on perfect timing.
January is prime time—when holiday distractions leave you vulnerable.
Example of a convincing phishing email:
"Hi [your actual name], I couldn't deliver the updated invoice. Can you confirm this is the right accounting email? Here's the corrected file—let me know if you have questions. Thanks, [name of your actual vendor]"
No grandiose scams or urgent money transfers—just a believable request from a familiar contact.
Your defense strategy:
- Equip your team to verify, not just read emails: confirm any financial or credential requests via separate channels.
- Implement advanced email filters that detect impersonation attempts—flag emails claiming to be your accountant but originating overseas.
- Foster a workplace culture that values cautious verification as smart, not paranoid.
Resolution #2: "Imitate Your Vendors and Leadership"
These attacks are dangerously convincing.
Imagine an email from a vendor:
"We've updated bank details—please use the new account for payments."
Or a text from "the CEO" to your finance staff:
"Immediate wire transfer required. I'm in a meeting and can't talk."
Deepfake voice scams escalate this threat.
Using publicly available audio, scammers replicate your CEO's voice to authorize fraudulent transactions.
This is happening now—not science fiction.
How to protect yourself:
- Adopt a mandatory callback policy for bank information changes, verifying using trusted phone numbers.
- Require voice confirmation through official channels for all payment requests.
- Enforce multi-factor authentication on financial and administrative accounts to block unauthorized access.
Resolution #3: "Focus Attacks on Small Businesses More Aggressively"
Big corporations once bore the brunt of cyber attacks.
With enhanced enterprise security and strict insurance demands, attacking them became riskier and less rewarding.
Cybercriminals shifted tactics.
Instead of targeting one $5 million prize, they aim for numerous $50,000 infiltrations that have a higher success rate.
You're targeted because:
- Your business holds valuable assets and data
- You likely lack a dedicated cybersecurity team
- You manage many responsibilities simultaneously
- You assume, "We're too small to be a target"
This assumption is your greatest vulnerability.
Take decisive action:
- Implement fundamental cybersecurity steps—multi-factor authentication, routine updates, and regular backup tests—to deter most attacks.
- Replace "too small to target" thinking with proactive security, understanding your size makes you a quiet yet valuable target.
- Partner with cybersecurity professionals who protect you continuously without the need for an in-house team.
Resolution #4: "Exploit New Employee Onboarding and Tax Season Vulnerabilities"
January brings fresh hires unfamiliar with company security policies.
New employees eager to contribute may unknowingly fall for scams.
Attackers capitalize on this:
"I'm the CEO. Please handle this quickly, I'm traveling."
Veteran employees might hesitate, but new hires tend to comply immediately.
Tax season scams also increase—fake W-2 requests, payroll phishing, bogus IRS notices.
Criminals impersonate executives to illicitly obtain sensitive employee data, then file fraudulent tax returns before the real employees can.
Defensive measures:
- Integrate security training during onboarding—new hires should recognize scams before receiving email access.
- Establish clear policies: "No W-2s are ever sent by email," and "All payment requests require phone verification." Document and regularly test adherence.
- Encourage and commend verification efforts to build a vigilant workforce.
Prevent Before You Repair.
Your cybersecurity choices boil down to two paths:
Option A: React to a breach and bear the heavy costs—ransom payments, emergency hires, customer notifications, system rebuilds, and long-lasting damage.
Option B: Proactively fortify your defenses, train your employees, monitor threats, and close vulnerabilities. This approach costs far less and preserves your business integrity.
You don't buy a fire extinguisher after a blaze—you invest so you never need one.
Make 2026 Their Worst Year by:
Engaging an IT partner who:
- Provides 24/7 system monitoring to detect threats early
- Secures access so a single compromised password won't jeopardize everything
- Educates your team on sophisticated scams beyond the obvious
- Implements verification protocols that prevent wire fraud
- Maintains and tests backups, making ransomware a minor inconvenience
- Keeps systems patched to close vulnerabilities before attackers strike
Prioritize prevention over reaction.
Cybercriminals expect businesses like yours to be unready in 2026.
Let's prove them wrong.
Remove Your Business from Their Target List Today
Schedule a Security Reality Check this New Year.
We'll identify your exposures, prioritize threats, and help you stop being an easy target in 2026.
No fear-mongering or confusing jargon—just straightforward insights and actions.
Click here or give us a call at 703-879-2070 to book your 15-Minute Discovery Call.
Because the smartest New Year's resolution is ensuring you are never a goal on a criminal's list.
