(Spoiler: Your Business Is on Their List)
Somewhere right now, a cybercriminal is setting New Year’s resolutions, too.
They’re not working on self-care or balance. They’re reviewing what worked last year—and planning how to steal more in the next one.
And small businesses? They’re at the top of the list.
Not because you’re careless. Because you’re busy.
And busy businesses make the easiest targets.
Here’s what cybercriminals are planning for the year ahead—and how to make sure your business ruins every single one of their goals.
Resolution #1: “Send Phishing Emails That Don’t Look Fake Anymore”
The era of obvious scam emails is over.
Today’s phishing emails are written by AI. They:
- Sound professional and natural
- Use your company’s tone and language
- Reference real vendors you actually work with
- Avoid obvious red flags
They don’t rely on typos anymore.
They rely on timing.
January is perfect: inboxes are full, people are catching up, and everyone’s moving fast.
A modern phishing email looks like this:
“Hi [your actual name], I tried sending the updated invoice but the file bounced back. Can you confirm this is still the right email for accounting? I’ve attached the revised copy. Thanks, [actual vendor name].”
No urgency. No drama. Just believable.
Your counter-move:
- Train employees to verify, not just read. Any request involving money, files, or credentials gets confirmed through a second channel.
- Use email security that detects impersonation and domain spoofing.
- Build a culture where questioning is encouraged—not criticized.
Resolution #2: “Impersonate Vendors… or the Boss”
This is one of the most effective scams because it feels completely real.
A vendor emails:
“We’ve updated our banking details. Please use this new account going forward.”
Or a text from “the CEO” hits accounting:
“Urgent. Please wire this now. I’m in a meeting and can’t talk.”
Sometimes it’s not text at all.
Voice deepfakes are increasing—criminals clone voices from videos, podcasts, even voicemail greetings. The call sounds exactly like the person you trust.
That’s not science fiction. It’s happening now.
Your counter-move:
- Require a callback verification policy for all bank or payment changes.
- Never act on payment requests without confirmation through known, trusted contact methods.
- Enforce multi-factor authentication on all finance and admin accounts.
Resolution #3: “Target Small Businesses Harder Than Ever”
Big companies used to be the prize.
But enterprise security improved. Insurance requirements tightened. Attacks became harder and louder.
So criminals adapted.
Why risk one massive attack when you can run dozens of smaller ones with near-guaranteed success?
Small businesses have:
- Real money
- Valuable data
- Limited security resources
- No full-time security team
And many still believe, “We’re too small to be a target.”
That belief is their favorite vulnerability.
Your counter-move:
- Implement basic protections: MFA, patching, backups, monitoring.
- Remove “we’re too small” from your vocabulary. You may be too small for headlines—but not too small for extortion.
- Work with a security-focused IT partner who watches your environment continuously.
Resolution #4: “Exploit New Hires and Tax Season Chaos”
January brings new employees—and new employees are prime targets.
They want to help. They want to impress. They don’t yet know your rules.
Attackers know this.
“Hey, I’m the CEO. Can you handle this quickly? I’m traveling.”
Veteran staff might pause. New hires often don’t.
Tax season makes it worse. Payroll phishing ramps up fast:
“I need copies of all employee W-2s for a meeting with the accountant. Please send ASAP.”
If that succeeds, every employee’s Social Security number, address, and salary is exposed. Fraudulent tax returns get filed before your employees even realize what happened.
Your counter-move:
- Include security training in onboarding—before email access is granted.
- Document clear policies: “We never email W-2s.” “Payment requests are always verified.”
- Reward employees for slowing down and confirming, not for acting fast.
Preventable Always Beats Recoverable
You have two cybersecurity options:
Option A: React after the attack
Emergency response. Downtime. Customer notifications. Reputational damage.
Cost: tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Outcome: survival—if you’re lucky.
Option B: Prevent the attack
Security controls. Training. Monitoring. Proactive fixes.
Cost: a fraction of recovery.
Outcome: nothing happens—which is the goal.
You don’t buy a fire extinguisher after the building burns.
How to Ruin Their Year
A strong IT and security partner keeps you off the “easy target” list by:
- Monitoring systems 24/7
- Limiting access so one stolen password doesn’t open everything
- Training employees on modern, believable scams
- Enforcing verification policies for payments and data
- Testing backups so ransomware doesn’t end the business
- Patching systems before criminals exploit them
That’s fire prevention—not firefighting.
Take Your Business Off Their Target List
Cybercriminals are optimistic about the year ahead.
They’re counting on businesses being understaffed, distracted, and unprepared.
Let’s disappoint them.
Schedule a New Year Security Reality Check and get a clear picture of where you’re exposed and what actually matters.
No scare tactics. No jargon. Just clarity.
Because the best New Year’s resolution is making sure your business isn’t helping someone else hit theirs.
