Many firms mistakenly view phishing messages as merely an annoyance. While it is true that some of these emails are simple spam that is easily ignored and often filtered before reaching inboxes, other instances can cause chaos for companies.
Over time, phishing messages have earned a reputation for being poorly crafted attempts to part users from money and information, but modern methods used by malicious actors use superior strategies. As a result, they can be tricky to spot, leading enterprise employees to inadvertently expose their company to serious risks like malware infections and ransomware attacks.
In the next sections, we’ll examine phishing attacks, why your staff must be able to spot them and the best steps to take to get them prepared.
Tricks and traps in phishing emails
Phishing emails are engineered to incite a specific action from their victim. They use tone and language to create a sense of urgency to panic recipients into clicking on links or downloading files. Both actions can result in malware being installed on machines, but in other cases a link may directly to a phishing website. These sites are often designed to perfectly mimic authentic log-in pages, leading users to input their private credentials. When they do, malicious actors steal passwords and usernames and employ them to gain deeper access within a business intranet.
Phishing tests
You can train your staff to spot a phishing email with built-for-purposes software. High-quality products will use a wide range of examples taken from real-world material to ensure your teams are ready. The best phishing tests also keep current and include the latest tactics and strategies being employed by malicious actors to ensure your knowledge base stays up to date.
Phishing training should never be conducted once and then disregarded. Instead, training must be continuous, constantly honing your staff’s skills. As soon as new member of staff starts, begin their training immediately to minimise risks.
Why is reporting so important
To ensure threats are always reported, employees must feel comfortable enough to speak up and never feel like they are being a nuisance. One of the major causes of successful cybercrime is when attempts to infiltrate go unreported. Staff must understand clearly how they should raise an alarm when they receive a phishing message and who they must inform.
Creating a safe workspace for your staff
Whether your employees operate from home or in an office environment, find a way for them to work free from threats is essential. If you are looking for a secure system that has no back doors for hackers to gain a foothold on your network and no passwords are stored, we can help. Galaxkey’s secure workspace was designed to keep your people safe from cybercrime, whether they are on premise using company devices or working remotely on personal equipment. Equipped with a wide range of tools, from data encryption software and e-signatures to a variety of recommended email security features, our solution ticks every box.
For a free two-week trial, get in touch with our technical team today.
