Sometimes, we make the mistake of looking at cyberattacks as a given. We see this exponential rise in data breaches and think to ourselves, “Well, of course, that’s happening. Technology is becoming more sophisticated, and there are more opportunities for criminals to exploit.” However, it’s crucial to remember that many of these cyber threats, including phishing emails, can be significantly mitigated through proactive security measures and user education.
While it’s true that cyberattacks are becoming more sophisticated, we can’t forget that a large part of the problem is human error. In fact, a recent study found that 91% of cyber attacks start with a phishing email sent to an unsuspecting victim. Understanding what phishing is and how to prevent phishing attacks is critical to keeping your data safe.
What are Phishing Emails?
Phishing emails are a type of email that is designed to trick you into giving away sensitive information, such as your login credentials or financial information. These emails often look like they’re from a legitimate source, such as a company you do business with or a government agency. They may even use the same logo or branding that you’re used to seeing from a legitimate source.
How to Identify Phishing Emails
The sophistication of these phishing emails makes it harder and harder to tell what is real and what is not. But there are often telltale signs that an email is not legitimate. Phishing emails will often have a hook that will try to catch the recipient. If you know what signs to look for or can identify the hook, you will be able to prevent the attack from being successful.
Here are a few key signs that can help you recognize a phishing email:
- The sender’s address is slightly different from the actual sender’s address.
- The email will ask you to do something urgently, such as buy gift cards.
- The email contains typos or grammatical errors.
- The email asks you to click on a link or download an attachment.
- The email is unexpected and not something you normally see in your inbox.
- There is a sense of urgency in the email. Often the email will threaten that something negative will happen if you don’t act soon.
- The email requests credentials, payment information, or other personal information
How to Prevent Phishing Attacks?
If phishing emails are becoming so sophisticated, one question you might ask is how to prevent phishing attacks from happening in order to protect your business. Here are a few key things that you and your business can do to avoid phishing attacks:
- Educate your employees about phishing emails. Make sure they know what to look for so that they can spot a phishing email when they see one.
- Use an advanced email filtering solution. These can help to block phishing emails from reaching your inbox in the first place.
- Only click on links in emails if you’re absolutely sure they’re legitimate. If you’re not sure, don’t open it and call the sender to check.
- Don’t ignore updates on your computer. Updates are released regularly for a reason. They help to patch and update known vulnerabilities. If you ignore updates you could be leaving yourself at risk of phishing attacks.
How KaufmanIT Can Help Keep You Safe
KaufmanIT is here to help you keep your business safe from data breaches. We offer a comprehensive suite of IT security services, including email security audits and hardening. Our team can help you stop ransomware and block phishing emails before they even reach your inbox. We can also help you implement strong email security filters and other security measures to protect your business. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you keep your business safe.
