January 26, 2026
Right now, cybercriminals are crafting their New Year's resolutions—but their goals aren't about self-improvement.
Instead of focusing on wellness or work-life harmony, they're analyzing what scams succeeded in 2025 and strategizing ways to steal more in 2026.
And guess who tops their list? Small businesses.
Not because you're careless, but because your busy schedule makes you vulnerable.
Criminals thrive on chaos and distraction.
Discover their 2026 tactics—and how you can outsmart them.
Cybercriminal Resolution #1: Craft Phishing Emails That Fool Everyone
Gone are the days of obvious, typo-ridden scam emails.
Today's AI-generated phishing messages are sophisticated, designed to:
- Sound completely natural and convincing
- Mimic your company's unique communication style
- Reference actual vendors you deal with
- Avoid traditional warning signs that raise suspicion
These attackers don't rely on mistakes anymore—they count on perfect timing.
And January is prime time: everyone's busy catching up from holidays and less vigilant.
Imagine receiving an email like this:
"Hi [your actual name], I tried to send the updated invoice, but it bounced back. Can you confirm this is still the accounting email? Here's the revised invoice—let me know if you have questions. Thanks, [name of your real vendor]"
No scams from distant princes. Just trusted voices sounding legitimate.
How to Defend Your Business:
- Educate your team to always verify requests, especially those involving money or sensitive data, through separate communication channels.
- Implement advanced email filters that detect impersonations—flag emails claiming to be from your accountant but originating from dubious locations.
- Promote a workplace culture where double-checking is encouraged and celebrated.
Cybercriminal Resolution #2: Impersonate Vendors and Executives with Convincing Scams
This tactic is alarmingly effective because it mimics reality flawlessly.
Imagine receiving a vendor email stating:
"We've updated our bank details. Please send future payments to this new account."
Or a text from "the CEO" triggering your bookkeeper:
"Urgent wire transfer needed; I'm in a meeting and can't talk."
Deepfake technology amplifies these scams, cloning voices from online sources to make fraudulent calls that sound just like your CEO.
This isn't fiction—it's happening daily.
How to Protect Your Business:
- Establish mandatory callback protocols for any bank detail changes using verified phone numbers.
- Require voice confirmations for all payment authorizations via trusted channels.
- Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) on all finance and administrative accounts to block unauthorized access.
Cybercriminal Resolution #3: Target Small Businesses More Aggressively Than Ever
Historically, hackers aimed for big corporations—banks, hospitals, Fortune 500s.
As enterprise security improved, criminals shifted focus.
Instead of one high-risk $5 million hack, they pursue many smaller, easier $50,000 attacks.
Small businesses are prime targets because:
- You possess valuable financial resources
- Your data can be ransomed
- Few have dedicated security teams
- You're often overstretched and juggling priorities
- You may underestimate your risk—thinking you're "too small" to be noticed
This misconception makes you vulnerable.
Your Best Defense:
- Implement basic security essentials—MFA, regular software updates, and verified backups—to deter attackers.
- Reject the "too small to be targeted" mindset; in reality, small businesses often fly under the radar until it's too late.
- Partner with cybersecurity experts who protect your business without the need for an in-house team.
Cybercriminal Resolution #4: Exploit New Hiring Periods and Tax Season Confusion
January's influx of new employees means many aren't yet familiar with your security protocols.
These eager newcomers want to help and may hesitate to question instructions, making them ideal scam targets.
Scammers pose as CEOs or HR directors demanding urgent actions:
"Please urgently send all employee W-2 forms for an accounting meeting."
When criminals get those W-2s, they gain sensitive personal info and often file fraudulent tax returns before your staff can.
Preventive Measures:
- Integrate scam awareness training into your onboarding before new hires access company emails.
- Establish clear written policies, such as "No W-2 forms are emailed" and "All payment requests require phone verification."
- Encourage and reward employees who verify suspicious requests.
Prevention Always Beats Recovery
Faced with cyber threats, you have two paths:
Option 1: React after a breach—pay ransoms, bring in crisis teams, alert clients, rebuild systems, and repair damage. Costs and recovery time can be staggering.
Option 2: Proactively secure your business—train teams, monitor for threats, patch vulnerabilities, and prevent attacks. This approach is cost-effective and offers peace of mind.
Just like owning a fire extinguisher—you hope to never need it, but it's essential for emergencies.
Defend Your Business in 2026
A trusted IT partner can keep your business off cybercriminals' hit list by:
- Monitoring systems around the clock to stop threats early
- Enforcing strong access controls so one compromised password won't endanger your business
- Providing training focused on sophisticated scams, not just the obvious ones
- Implementing strict verification policies preventing wire fraud with mere emails
- Maintaining and testing backups to make ransomware a minor inconvenience
- Applying timely security patches to close vulnerabilities quickly
It's all about fire prevention, not firefighting.
Cybercriminals are eagerly planning their 2026 scams, hoping your business stays unprepared and understaffed.
Let's make sure they're disappointed.
Remove Your Business From Their Target List
Schedule a New Year Security Reality Check.
We'll identify your vulnerabilities, prioritize what matters most, and help you become far less attractive to cybercriminals in 2026.
No fearmongering. No jargon.
Just a straightforward assessment and actionable steps.
Click here or give us a call at 608-416-2400 to book your 10-Minute Discovery Call.
Because the best resolution you can make is ensuring you're not on a criminal's agenda in 2026.
