Shield Your Business from Phishing Attacks: Proven Strategies & Expert Tips

The definition of Phishing – the attempt to deceive the victim to gain access to confidential and private information and/or distribute infected files.

Phishing is a cyber attack in which attackers attempt to trick users into doing ‘the wrong thing’, such as clicking a bad link that will download malware, or direct them to a dodgy website. Phishing can be conducted via a text message, social media, or by phone, but the term ‘phishing’ is mainly used to describe attacks that arrive by email. Attacks can install malware, sabotage systems, or steal intellectual property and money.

Phishing emails can hit an organisation of any size and type. You might get caught up in a mass campaign (where the attacker is just looking to collect some new passwords or make some easy money), or it could be the first step in a targeted attack against your company, where the aim could be something much more specific, like the theft of sensitive data.

Many companies suffer from phishing attacks where employees are targeted with fraudulent emails (often appearing to be someone from their company). Despite having software to uncover these fraudulent emails, it can often come down to user training. For example, before you make payment do your employees know that they should check whether the email is genuine, check with managers and make sure we have the website link has the lock symbol to indicate it is safe and also look out for the ‘s’ in https: ?

How can I train my team?

Why not simulate a phishing attack which enables your teams to practice and understand security in a safe environment? This can be a great way of collecting data on employee awareness and understanding what other training / security measures can be implemented.

We recommend using KnowBe4’s website: https://www.knowbe4.com – it is an integrated platform for security awareness training combined with simulated phishing attacks. It is free for 100 users and has templates that you can use. A highly effective way to train your employees and keep your business safe.

Stay Safe!