Tag: Summer

Summer Photos, Company Devices: Where’s the Line?

Posted on by Paul Stradling

As employees increasingly snap summer photos on work phones and sync them to corporate cloud storage, UK businesses are facing fresh legal and data protection risks, so this article looks at where the boundaries lie, what the law says, and what employers should do next.

Blurred Lines Between Work and Personal Life

It has become second nature for many employees to reach for their phones during a beach day, family BBQ, or office-social. However, when that phone is company-issued (and backed up to a business-managed cloud) those sunny snapshots can come with unexpected regulatory baggage.

As of 2025, the line between personal and professional device use remains hazy, particularly in organisations without strict mobile device management policies. Whether employees are using work-issued smartphones or accessing business services through their own phones under a bring-your-own-device arrangement, the organisation’s GDPR responsibilities still apply.

For example, if an employee takes a group photo at a summer party using their company iPhone, then syncs it to OneDrive or a shared Google Workspace folder, the image may qualify as personal data. If the photo contains identifiable facial features, it could even fall under the UK GDPR’s stricter rules for special category data.

What Counts as Personal Data and Why It Matters

According to the UK GDPR, personal data refers to any information relating to an identified or identifiable individual. This can include names, locations, and biometric identifiers such as facial images.

Photographs often fall into this category. In a 2023 blog post directed at photographers, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) reiterated that even casual images taken at informal gatherings can qualify as personal data if faces are clearly visible, or if the photo’s metadata reveals identifiable information.

Also, as data protection consultancy URM has warned, many organisations do not realise they are processing special category data when they store or distribute images of individuals. It described this as a potential compliance gap, particularly when personal and work-related photos mix.

This gap has already caused real-world issues. For example (back in 2022) a Midlands-based employer was investigated following a subject access request in which an employee discovered that images shared informally via a work cloud had been stored and potentially processed without lawful basis. Although no fine was issued, the ICO cautioned that such incidents could result in formal enforcement action in future.

GDPR Meets the Summer Sharing Culture

The warmer months typically see a rise in casual image sharing, from staff parties to client events to informal selfies. These images often land, unintentionally, in business systems such as shared drives, messaging apps, or Microsoft Teams folders.

Under UK GDPR, however, even internal-only use of personal data requires a lawful basis. Organisations must also notify individuals that their data is being processed and explain their rights, including the right to object or request deletion.

In practice, this compliance is often lacking. A 2024 study by Harper James Solicitors found that 38 percent of UK SMEs had no documented policy on employee photography or image storage. Of those that did, only 17 percent provided GDPR-compliant privacy notices to staff.

It is not only formal photos that pose a risk. Informal selfies taken on work phones and automatically uploaded to company cloud services may inadvertently become visible to system administrators or be exposed in a data breach. If family members or children appear in these images, the data protection concerns become even more serious.

Cloud Storage

Modern business devices are usually set up to back up automatically to cloud services. While this protects against data loss, it also means personal images taken on company phones may end up stored in corporate systems.

Cloud providers such as Microsoft, Google, and Apple are classed as data processors under the GDPR when they act on behalf of a business. This means that the employer, as the data controller, must ensure that data processing agreements are in place, the data is stored securely, and any international data transfers are lawfully managed.

For example, if an employee’s photo taken on a company iPhone is backed up to an iCloud account controlled by the IT department and hosted outside the UK, the business is legally responsible for ensuring appropriate safeguards are in place. Failure to do so could constitute a breach of Articles 44 to 49 of the UK GDPR.

The ICO has also issued repeated warnings that businesses using unmanaged cloud platforms without formal access controls may be at risk of unauthorised data access, particularly when employees leave the organisation and their accounts are not promptly deactivated.

Subject Access Requests and Administrative Headaches

The right of access, enshrined in the UK GDPR, gives individuals the ability to request any personal data held about them, including images, chat messages, and stored files. Once a subject access request is received, it must be fulfilled within 30 days.

However, this becomes highly problematic for organisations that allow employees to store personal content on corporate systems. For example, if one employee’s personal data is mixed with private material belonging to others, IT teams may be forced to sift through large volumes of photos, chat logs, or cloud folders to redact non-relevant data.

The Data Use and Access Act 2025, which received Royal Assent in June, places further pressure on employers. It introduces more detailed rules on how organisations must segregate personal and business content in employee data collections, particularly in cases where employees have been dismissed or have made legal complaints. Firms without clear systems in place may struggle to comply without incurring significant cost.

BYOD and Blurred Accountability

Even when companies operate a bring-your-own-device policy, the legal responsibilities do not disappear. Once a personal phone is used to access work platforms such as Outlook, Teams, or SharePoint, any data handled through those services becomes the employer’s responsibility under UK GDPR.

As legal advisors at Sprintlaw UK note, employers must still have robust policies in place to ensure that business data is protected and employees understand what constitutes acceptable use.

This is especially relevant in summer, when employees may inadvertently upload personal photos to business systems while attempting to clear phone space or share files. If a breach occurs and it is found that no technical safeguards were in place, the ICO may hold the business, not the individual, accountable.

What UK Employers Should Consider

Despite the complexity, there are several practical actions employers can take to reduce the risk of summer photo mishaps. For example:

– Organisations should audit company-managed phones and cloud platforms to determine whether personal data, including images, is being stored inadvertently. They should also review and update default sync settings on devices during onboarding and offboarding, and introduce or reinforce clear policies about acceptable personal use of company devices.

– Mobile device management tools should be used to isolate or wipe personal data when necessary. Businesses may also choose to restrict cloud sync functions to business-only folders, or disable photo uploads altogether.

– It is important to communicate clearly with employees that company systems are not private, and that data may be accessed in the event of a subject access request. Employers should issue GDPR-compliant notices explaining how staff photos may be used, especially in internal communications or promotional materials.

– Staff should be given training to help them understand what qualifies as personal data and how to avoid inadvertent data breaches.

This combination of policy, technology, and communication can help organisations avoid compliance pitfalls while maintaining a respectful balance between employee privacy and corporate accountability.

What Does This Mean For Your Business?

Organisations that fail to address these issues head-on could be exposing themselves to far more than just reputational damage. The legal and operational consequences of mishandled personal data, particularly where summer photos are concerned, are growing more tangible, not less. The rise in subject access requests, tighter scrutiny from the ICO, and the introduction of new legislation such as the Data Use and Access Act are all signs that regulators expect more from employers when it comes to separating business and personal data.

For UK businesses, the message is pretty clear. Even low-risk behaviours, like taking a photo at a team BBQ, can become governance headaches if the right controls are not in place. That does not mean personal moments need to be banned from the workplace entirely, but it does mean they must be treated with the same care as any other form of personal data. Failing to do so could leave businesses scrambling to comply with access requests, justify their data retention practices, or explain gaps in policy during an ICO investigation.

The implications extend beyond legal teams and IT departments. HR leaders, department heads, and even marketing teams who reuse internal images must also understand their responsibilities under GDPR. Employees themselves, meanwhile, need clearer guidance about what is and is not appropriate when using work devices for personal use.

Maintaining trust between employees and employers, therefore, depends on clarity, not guesswork. In an age where photos, chats, and uploads are generated with barely a second thought, organisations that take a proactive, structured approach will be far better positioned to navigate the grey areas. Getting this right now is not just about avoiding enforcement, but it is about future-proofing data governance in a working world where the line between personal and professional continues to shift.

Summer Phishing Surge: Why Scammers Love Holidays

Posted on by Paul Stradling

Here we look at how phishing scams spike in summer, including fake travel bookings, delivery text traps and urgent invoice fraud, and why UK businesses and individuals are especially vulnerable during the summer holiday season.

Phishing Peaks in Summer as Risk Awareness Drops

The summer season is increasingly being exploited by cyber criminals as a prime window to launch targeted phishing campaigns. For example, according to Action Fraud, UK consumers lost over £11.6 million to holiday-related scams in 2024 alone, with July and August seeing the highest volume of reports.

Why?

Experts point to a combination of seasonal distractions and increased online transactions, particularly for travel and leisure, as key drivers. With staff taking annual leave and workflows stretched thin, businesses are also becoming easier prey for invoice fraud and impersonation attempts.

Proofpoint, a global cyber security firm, recently warned that over one third of major UK travel booking platforms are failing to implement basic email authentication protections, such as full DMARC rejection policies, leaving customers vulnerable to spoofed messages. “Criminals know people are more likely to be booking trips or awaiting parcels,” said Adenike Cosgrove, cybersecurity strategist at Proofpoint. “That makes them more likely to click without thinking.”

Fake Travel Sites and Booking Confirmations Are Widespread

A common scam involves fake travel booking websites or emails posing as legitimate platforms such as Booking.com, Airbnb or Jet2. In many cases, victims are lured through paid adverts on social media or search engines, where fraudulent domains are made to closely resemble real travel brands.

In one incident recently flagged on Reddit and verified by multiple users, scammers exploited Booking.com’s internal messaging system to pose as hotels, sending follow-up messages asking guests to confirm payment via a malicious third-party link. The impersonators mimicked the platform’s branding and messaging style with alarming accuracy.

Fake Accommodation Offers

According to Action Fraud, 44 per cent of holiday-related phishing reports in 2024 involved fake accommodation offers. For example, many victims were contacted after initially engaging with a legitimate booking site, suggesting criminals are monitoring and hijacking booking journeys to insert phishing attempts at key points.

Delivery Text Scams Continue to Catch Holidaymakers Off Guard

One of the most persistent phishing threats this summer is smishing, where fraudulent text messages impersonate delivery companies such as Royal Mail, Evri or DPD. These scams typically claim a parcel is delayed or requires a small fee to release, directing the recipient to a fake website that harvests card details or personal information.

The problem is growing. According to Proofpoint and UK Finance, fake parcel delivery texts accounted for 67.4 per cent of all reported smishing attempts in the 30-day period to mid-July 2025, up from 53.2 per cent in previous months. Financial impersonation scams, by comparison, made up just 22.6 per cent over the same period.

This reflects a longer-term trend. The National Cyber Security Centre reported a 174 per cent year-on-year rise in smishing attacks as of mid-2024, and industry data indicates that the increase has continued well into 2025. A recent consumer survey by Ofcom found that 42 per cent of UK mobile users had received a suspicious call or SMS in the past three months.

Mobile Scam Filters Still Falling Short

While mobile operators claim that scam filters are improving, independent testing has raised concerns. In one 2025 study by cyber firm MetaCert, every simulated smishing message was successfully delivered to UK phones. These included texts spoofing well-known brands and containing malicious links, suggesting that current filtering systems are still failing to block even basic threats.

Why Summer Timing Makes These Scams More Effective

The seasonal context plays an important role. During the summer, people are more likely to shop online for travel items, gifts or personal deliveries while away from home. This makes messages about missed or rescheduled parcels seem believable and time-sensitive, creating the urgency that scammers rely on.

According to advice published by Age UK Barnet, for example: “scam texts often appear to come from delivery companies, like Evri or Royal Mail, saying that a parcel is on its way and asking for payment.” The charity warns that people may click without thinking, especially when expecting a delivery, and highlights that older users may be particularly vulnerable if they are unfamiliar with digital services or not used to checking links carefully.

The growing sophistication of these scams, including the use of personalised names, postcodes or local courier references, makes them harder to detect. This is especially true on mobile devices, where links and sender details are less visible at a glance.

Fake Invoices and Business Email Scams Surge Before Holiday Deadlines

For UK businesses, the summer period brings another kind of cyber threat. Business Email Compromise (BEC) and invoice phishing scams often spike around end-of-quarter deadlines or during peak holiday handovers, when key personnel may be absent.

Scammers typically insert themselves into existing email threads by using a near-identical address to impersonate suppliers, contractors or internal staff. They then request urgent payments to altered bank accounts, citing things like updated banking details or changes to invoice terms.

With this in mind, the North East Business Resilience Centre (NEBRC), for example, has issued multiple alerts this summer urging firms to verify payment details verbally before transferring funds. “Organisations should treat every payment change request—no matter how routine it seems—with extreme caution, especially when staff are away,” said the NEBRC’s cyber lead. “We see companies lose tens of thousands of pounds in a single transaction.”

According to UK Finance, invoice and mandate scams cost UK businesses over £56.7 million in a single year, with construction, legal and property sectors among the most targeted.

Quishing Attacks Using QR Codes Are Also on the Rise Too

Perhaps a less familiar but growing trend is the use of malicious QR codes in phishing campaigns, often referred to as “quishing”. These codes may appear in emails, event posters, parking meters or travel itineraries, and lead to malicious websites once scanned.

Security researchers at Check Point have identified a significant increase in such attacks since spring 2025, with many targeting travellers by mimicking airline boarding passes or local information portals.

The real danger lies in the perception of safety associated with QR codes, particularly when presented in a printed or semi-official context. In several recent cases, scammers have replaced public QR codes on transport signage or tourist maps with fake stickers that lead to credential-harvesting sites.

UK businesses operating physical locations or QR-based digital services are being urged to regularly check signage, validate their own codes, and educate staff on the risks of scanning unknown links.

Criminals Exploit Social Context and Emotional Cues

What links all of these attacks is timing and emotional manipulation. For example, summer, with its relaxed atmosphere, frequent purchases and disrupted routines, creates ideal conditions for social engineering.

For example, as cyber security firm Barracuda reports, seasonal phishing emails tend to use more emotionally charged language, including urgency, fear of missing out or appeals to customer service or refunds. Phrases like “Your booking is at risk”, “Re-delivery needed today” or “Outstanding invoice requires attention” are designed to provoke rapid reactions.

The NCSC encourages UK users to follow its “Stop, Challenge, Protect” guidance—pausing before clicking or paying, questioning the legitimacy of the request, and reporting suspicious messages to the Suspicious Email Reporting Service (SERS) (at report@phishing.gov.uk).

Many Attacks Are Enabled by Gaps in Email Security

A report by Proofpoint revealed that as of summer 2025, only 61 per cent of the UK’s top 50 travel websites had enforced full DMARC rejection policies, which is a basic email authentication setting that helps prevent domain spoofing. This leaves both individual travellers and business clients exposed to fake emails that appear to come from trusted brands.

Similarly, smaller organisations often lack the cyber hygiene measures to filter out high-risk attachments or check for lookalike domains. In phishing simulations conducted by KnowBe4, UK companies saw click rates of over 33 per cent during peak summer periods, compared to 24 per cent in winter, suggesting seasonal distractions increase user vulnerability.

Also, the British Chambers of Commerce has called on smaller firms to step up basic security practices, especially during holiday periods when decision-making may be rushed or decentralised.

Cybercriminals Are Adapting Faster Than Users Can React

The final concern raised by many experts is the speed with which scammers adapt. While businesses and individuals may learn to spot one kind of scam, attackers quickly switch tactics, changing domain names, targeting new seasonal trends or using AI tools to personalise their phishing lures.

Check Point’s threat intelligence team recently found that Google, Microsoft and Apple were the top three brands impersonated in UK phishing campaigns during Q2 2025. These impersonations often come in the form of bogus security alerts, fake travel subscriptions or seemingly legitimate service confirmations.

The summer of 2025 is no exception. As more people head off on breaks, and companies operate with skeleton crews, phishing attacks are exploiting every opportunity to slip through the cracks.

What Does This Mean For Your Business?

What emerges from this summer’s phishing surge is a clear pattern of opportunism that cuts across both consumer and business behaviour. It seems that cyber criminals are not relying on sophisticated infrastructure or zero-day exploits. Instead, they seem to be exploiting timing, familiarity and human distraction. For UK businesses, especially smaller firms, this creates a persistent operational risk that does not end with the holiday season.

Attacks linked to fake bookings, delivery texts and invoice fraud are not only rising in volume but also in precision. Social engineering tactics have become more convincing, and the tools behind them more accessible. As the examples in this report show, scammers no longer need to breach systems to steal money or data, but they just need to catch someone at the wrong moment with the right message. This is particularly dangerous in summer when staff changes, out-of-office patterns and dispersed decision-making leave more gaps than usual.

The ongoing failure to implement email authentication standards such as DMARC, and the unreliable performance of mobile scam filters, suggest that many organisations are still relying on outdated or partial defences. Without investment in basic technical controls and regular user awareness training, UK businesses will continue to see preventable losses from phishing, whether in the form of misdirected invoice payments, stolen credentials or damaged trust.

For individuals, especially those booking holidays or expecting deliveries, the lesson is equally pressing. The presence of a recognisable brand or a plausible message is no longer a guarantee of safety. Personal vigilance, combined with public reporting and institutional support, will remain critical.

Looking ahead, the challenge is not just seasonal. Cyber criminals will continue to adapt their tactics to whatever events, platforms or behaviours dominate public attention. However, the summer phishing spike is a useful case study in how quickly attackers can exploit simple human habits, and how slow many defences still are to catch up. For both UK organisations and their customers, tackling phishing will require more than just summer warnings. It demands consistent, year-round resilience.