Learn how to avoid phishing scams and keep your personal information safe and out of the hands of hackers.
Protect against phishing: teach your employees how to spot a fake email
Phishing scams trick recipients into sharing sensitive information with an unknown third party. Hackers are creating very clever phishing email scams. Many look sent by banks or other official institutions. Scam emails with security warnings urge immediate action. Click on a link and enter your name, password or account information. Instead of securing your account, you’ve just given the hacker what he needs to get inside the network of the company you work for and wreak havoc.
“Urgent action required”: a favorite phishing phrase
Hackers use scare tactics to stress urgency and get their victim to take immediate action. “Your inbox quotas have been exceeded. Click here to reset your account quota” is a popular tactic.
Although these email scams look official, often there are subtle clues that the email is fake.
Favorite scam phrases are:
-
- “We need to verify your account information”
- “If you don’t respond immediately, your account will be canceled”
- “Click the link below to update your information”
How to spot a cyber attack email:
- It’s supposedly from a business organization, but the sender has a personal email address
- Your name isn’t used. Instead, the greeting is “Dear Sir” or “Madam”
- The email has spelling or grammatical errors.
Think it’s a phishing email? Here’s what to do:
- Do not click on links, download files or open attachments in emails from unknown senders. Be especially cautious of emails from unknown senders. Open attachments only when you are expecting them. You can also hover over a link without clicking on it to see where the link will actually take you. If you don’t recognize the site, don’t click.
- Look at the browser status bar. Phishing websites often copy the entire look of a legitimate website, making it appear authentic. A secure site will have a lock icon on the browser’s status bar or a “https:” The “s” stands for “secure”.
- Contact your IT person. If you suspect that the email is a phishing scam, do not open it. Contact your IT person immediately.
Multiple defense strategies keep your business data and networks secure
Experts report that cybercriminals are now using “swarm attack” tactics — multiple assaults launched simultaneously in an attempt to crack into a business network. While ongoing education and constant employee reminders are very important, defending against swarm attacks needs a three-part cyber security strategy: prevention, detection, and response.
Cybersecurity detection and response technologies
When it comes to cybersecurity detection and response, Nettology can help you decide which cybersecurity tools and technologies best fit your needs and budget. Contact us today for a free consultation.
