Cybersecurity Before Summer: Are charities ready?

For many nonprofits, summer brings a shift in rhythm. Volunteer availability changes and internal resources are often stretched thinner than usual.

But while your organisation may be slowing down, cybercriminals are not!

In fact, nonprofits are increasingly targeted and quieter periods like summer create the ideal conditions for attacks to succeed. With reduced oversight and limited IT capacity, even a small vulnerability can quickly escalate.

So, before your team switches off, it’s worth asking: is your organisation truly protected?

Why Summer Is a High-Risk Period for Nonprofits

Nonprofits already operate in a challenging environment, balancing tight budgets, lean teams and growing digital demands.

During summer, those pressures increase:

Fewer staff monitoring systems
Slower response to incidents
Greater reliance on remote access and flexible working
Temporary changes in processes or responsibilities

Cybercriminals actively look for these gaps. And for organisations managing sensitive donor, financial or beneficiary data, the consequences of a breach can be significant — not just operationally, but reputationally.

The Most Common Cyber Risks Facing Nonprofits

Even well-run organisations can be exposed if key areas aren’t addressed ahead of time.

Unpatched Systems and Outdated Technology

When resources are limited, updates often get delayed. But attackers specifically target known vulnerabilities and unpatched systems are one of the easiest ways in. Automating your patch cycle (yes, with forced reboots!) should be implemented as widely as possible.

Remote Access and Device Security

Nonprofits often rely on flexible working, shared devices or volunteers accessing systems remotely. Without proper controls, this creates additional entry points for attackers. Checks like open ports on Firewalls (3389 I’m looking at you), and Conditional Access Rules being put in place to block personal devices that are noncompliant (e.g. Win10 or very out of date antivirus) don’t carry a license cost, it’s usually just a check to make sure they are configured.

Phishing and Social Engineering

Email-based attacks remain one of the biggest threats. Messages that appear to come from donors, partners or leadership can easily slip through when teams are busy or communication is fragmented. Awareness is the best defence; if you don’t have phishing training in place yet, even just sending regular reminders is worthwhile. There’s a great set of free resources here: Phishing attacks: defending your organisation | National Cyber Security Centre

Limited Monitoring and Visibility

Without continuous monitoring, suspicious activity can go unnoticed for days or even weeks increasing the potential impact of an attack. Smartdesc's MDR + SOC service proactively monitors devices and real humans intervene to block access, reset sessions, log out affected users and reset MFA – 24x7x365. The service is cost effective and comparable to a fully blown Security Operations Centre (SOC) but without the price to match.

Your People Are Still Your First Line of Defence

Technology alone isn’t enough, especially in nonprofit environments where staff and volunteers often wear multiple hats.

Before the summer period, it’s important to reinforce simple but critical habits:

Be cautious with unexpected emails or requests
Avoid clicking unknown links or attachments
Use secure passwords and access methods
Report anything suspicious quickly

Even a short awareness session can dramatically reduce the risk of human error.

A Smarter Approach to Cybersecurity for Nonprofits

The reality is that most nonprofits don’t have the resources for a fully staffed, in-house IT and security team.

That’s why many are turning to specialist partners who understand the sector.

Smartdesc is built primarily for charities and nonprofits, offering tailored IT strategy, cybersecurity and support services designed around the unique challenges of the third sector.

Our approach goes beyond reactive IT support. By combining:

Proactive cybersecurity and monitoring
Strategic IT leadership (such as Virtual CISCO as a Service)
Ongoing support and helpdesk services
Compliance and data protection expertise (such as DPO as a Service)

They act as an extension of your organisation, helping you stay secure, efficient and focused on your mission.

A Practical Summer Cybersecurity Checklist

Before the holiday period begins, take a few simple steps:

Apply all critical updates and patches
Review user access (especially for temporary staff or volunteers)
Enable secure access, such as multi-factor authentication
Ensure backups are working and regularly tested
Put monitoring and alerting in place
Share a cybersecurity awareness reminder with your team

If managing this internally feels like a challenge, partnering with a specialist provider can ensure nothing is missed, without adding pressure to your staff.

Protecting Your Mission

Nonprofits exist to make a difference and your technology should support that, not put it at risk.

Cybersecurity isn’t just about systems. It’s about protecting your people, your data and the trust you’ve built with donors and communities.

By taking a proactive approach now, you can ensure your organisation remains secure, resilient and ready, even during the quieter summer months.

To learn more about how Smartdesc can support your organisation with practical, cost-effective cybersecurity and IT services, click here or email: solutions@smartdesc.co.uk

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Cybersecurity Before Summer: Are Charities Ready?