Let’s face it… We all love setting an out-of-office message as it means we’re going on a well deserved break. But shutting down you laptop on the last day with a relaxed feeling can only happen with a secure out-of-office.
Why? Because while you away on you well-deserved break, hackers are getting busy. They can use the information in your automated reply to launch sophisticated “social engineering” attacks against your colleagues, impersonate you to vendors, or even map out your company’s hierarchy for future scams.
How to log off with total peace of mind? With an Out-of-office that follows our three golden rules.
Rule #1: Be vague about your schedule
- Don’t say: “I am away from December 22nd until January 5th.”
- Do Say: “I am currently out of the office and will be returning in early January.”
Why?
By telling the world (and hackers) the exact start and end dates of your break is like handing a burglar your schedule. It tells a hacker exactly how long they have to impersonate you without fear of you suddenly logging in and catching them. A vague timeline manages expectations without giving away a precise window of opportunity.
Rule #2: Never ever name names
- Don’t say: “For urgent matters, please contact my manager, Tony Stark, at tony.stark@avengers.com.”
- Do Say: “For urgent assistance, please email the team at support@avengers.com.”
Why?
Naming a specific colleague or manager provides hackers with your organization’s chain of command. An attacker can now email “Tony Stark” pretending to be your colleague/manager creating a highly convincing spear-phishing attack. Always direct contacts to a generic, monitored inbox.
Rule #3: Keep your location private
- Don’t say: “I’m out of the office enjoying a ski trip in the Swiss Alps!”
- Do Say: “I am currently away from my desk” or “I’m currently not available”
Why?
Sharing your location is besides a physical security risk for your home or office also a digital risk. It gives social engineers a perfect conversation starter. They can call your office and say, “Hey, I’m with [Your Name] in the Alps, and he/she lost their company card. Can you help process this urgent payment for them?” The specific detail make a lie often believable.
Steal our secure Out-of-office template:
To help you out, here is a simple, secure template you can copy and paste before you head out.
Subject: Out of Office
Hello,
Thank you for your email. I am currently not available and will be checking my emails with lower frequency.
If your matter is urgent, please contact the team at [Insert generic inbox, e.g., support@yourcompany.com], and they will be happy to assist you.
Otherwise, I will get back to you as soon as I return.
Best regards,
[Your Name]
Wishing your a secure Christmas and a guarded 2026
As we wrap up 2025, the entire team wants to thank you
for your trust and collaboration.
We wish you a peaceful holiday season and a prosperous start to 2026.
We look forward to keeping you secure in 2026!
