January 26, 2026
Right now, cybercriminals are crafting their own New Year's resolutions—and their goals are far from positive.
They're not focusing on wellness or balance; instead, they're analyzing their successful exploits from 2025 and strategizing how to steal even more in 2026.
Small businesses? They remain their prime target.
Not due to negligence,
but because your busy schedule offers the perfect cover.
Cybercriminals thrive on this hectic pace.
Here's their 2026 agenda—and how you can stop them in their tracks.
Resolution #1: "I Will Craft Phishing Emails That Are Harder to Detect"
Gone are the days of goofy scam emails.
Today, AI generates emails that:
- Sound convincing and natural
- Match your company's unique tone
- Include references to real vendors you work with
- Eliminate typical giveaway errors
They rely on precise timing rather than mistakes.
January is prime time: distractions run high as everyone returns from the holidays.
An example of a modern phishing email:
"Hi [your actual name], I tried to send the updated invoice, but the file bounced back. Can you confirm this is still the correct email for accounting? Here's the new file — let me know if you have any questions. Thanks, [name of your actual vendor]."
No scams, no urgent wire transfers, just a seemingly routine request from someone familiar.
How to defend yourself:
- Educate your team to verify any requests involving money or credentials through independent channels.
- Implement advanced email filters that detect impersonation and flag inconsistencies like unexpected sending locations.
- Foster an environment where double-checking is encouraged and praised.
Resolution #2: "I Will Masquerade as Your Vendors or Executives"
This tactic is especially dangerous due to its believable nature.
Imagine a vendor email stating:
"We've updated our bank details. Please use this new account for upcoming payments."
Or a text from "the CEO" to your accountant:
"Urgent: please wire funds immediately. I'm in a meeting and unable to talk."
And voice cloning scams are becoming alarmingly common.
Cybercriminals now use deepfake technology to mimic voices from online videos or voicemails. Suddenly, a call from your "CEO" asking for a favor sounds exactly like the real person.
This isn't science fiction; it's today's reality.
Your defense plan:
- Establish strict callback protocols for all bank detail changes, verifying through trusted contact numbers, not from email links.
- Mandate voice confirmation for all payment transfers via established lines.
- Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) on all financial and administrative accounts to block unauthorized access.
Resolution #3: "I Will Amp Up Attacks on Small Businesses"
While big corporations were once the focus, they've since bolstered their defenses.
In response, cybercriminals have shifted their focus to small businesses.
Instead of a risky $5 million hack, they opt for numerous smaller attacks ranging around $50,000—low-risk and high success.
Small businesses carry valuable assets, sensitive data, and often lack dedicated security teams.
Criminals know your vulnerabilities:
- Limited staffing
- No specialized security personnel
- Multiple competing priorities
- The false sense that "we're too small to be targeted"
This misconception is their greatest advantage.
How to fortify your defenses:
- Implement essential security practices that elevate your defense beyond that of your peers, including MFA, regular updates, and tested backups.
- Discard the myth of invulnerability due to size; small businesses are frequent targets but rarely make headlines.
- Partner with cybersecurity professionals who provide vigilant, ongoing protection tailored to your needs.
Resolution #4: "I Will Exploit New Employees and Tax Season Frenzy"
January brings a wave of new hires unfamiliar with your policies.
Bright-eyed and eager to please, they're prime targets for attackers posing as leadership.
Imagine a scam email:
"I'm the CEO. Can you expedite this request? I'm traveling and can't handle it directly."
While seasoned staff may hesitate, a newcomer aiming to impress might comply without question.
Tax season scammers escalate their efforts with fraudulent W-2 requests and fake IRS notices.
A typical attack involves impersonation of executives demanding sensitive employee tax information, allowing criminals to file false returns and cause major disruptions.
Your essential precautions:
- Conduct comprehensive security training during onboarding prior to granting email access, emphasizing scam recognition.
- Define clear policies such as "W-2s are never emailed" and require phone verification for payment requests. Document these rules and regularly assess compliance.
- Celebrate employees who verify suspicious requests—encourage vigilance over blind compliance.
Prevention Always Outweighs Recovery.
Cybersecurity offers two paths:
Option A: Respond after an attack hits—pay ransoms, hire emergency experts, notify clients, rebuild your systems and reputation. This costs tens or hundreds of thousands and could take months. Survival is uncertain.
Option B: Carefully prevent attacks by implementing robust security practices, training employees, monitoring threats, and sealing vulnerabilities continuously. This costs a fraction of post-attack recovery and keeps disruptions at bay.
Just like owning a fire extinguisher doesn't mean your building burns down, strong cybersecurity aims to prevent incidents before they happen.
How to Foil Their Plans in 2026
Partnering with a trusted IT provider ensures you:
- Have 24/7 system monitoring that detects threats early
- Secure access controls that prevent single password breaches
- Empower your team with training on sophisticated scams
- Enforce verification policies that stop wire fraud before it begins
- Maintain reliable, tested backups so ransomware is just a minor hurdle
- Regularly patch vulnerabilities ahead of criminal exploitation
Prioritize prevention—not firefighting.
Cybercriminals are optimistic about 2026, banking on businesses like yours being unprepared.
Let's prove them wrong.
Remove Your Business from Their Hit List Today
Schedule a New Year Security Reality Check.
We'll identify your vulnerabilities, highlight what matters most, and help you stop being an easy target in 2026.
No fear-mongering. No complex jargon. Just a straightforward assessment and action plan.
Click here or call us at (619) 349-5850 to reserve your 15-Minute Discovery Call.
Your best New Year's resolution? Ensuring you're never on a hacker's target list.
