The safety of your business data is crucial to your bottom line and reputation. In this age, however, those who have the means will take advantage of your system’s vulnerability, leaving your company open to liabilities.
At Technology Visionaries, we recognize the value of defense controls for your digital environment. So we don’t just offer cloud computing services in New Jersey. We also provide security assessments that uncover your vulnerabilities to cyberattacks, like phishing.
There’s More Than One Kind of Phishing
Phishing is a fraudulent method of getting information through deceptive emails and fake websites. Many fraudsters rely on people to click the bait that they’ve set up. The classic form of phishing is receiving an email from an unknown person or organization, with an alluring message, like: “Click this link to win $100,000!” But this isn’t the only phishing attack you might be up against.
Here are the most common types of phishing:
Deceptive phishing: Scammers send an email replicating a particular company, prompting victims to turn over their credentials.
A common example usually contains a message from your bank, informing you of suspicious activity on your account. You will find a link that will “direct” you to the website to verify your account.
Spear phishing: Cybercriminals spear phish when they are targeting one person. Fraudsters gather information from your social media profiles and other available public data to create an email that can urge you to respond.
The emails disguise themselves in messages supposedly sent from a friend or a business, asking for some information. Victims who fall for this bait often suffer from identity theft, credit card fraud, and blackmail.
Whaling: This phishing type is when scammers are after the “big fish,” such as executives of big companies. It takes in-depth research on the part of the fraudsters to pull this off.
These attacks often come in the form of a message from the CEO or a particular executive requesting for some files, making them less suspicious. Whaling is a dangerous form of attack that can result in grave financial loss, network hostage, or massive data breach.
Pharming: It’s similar to classic phishing in that it also uses a false website to lure users. Except pharming still directs users to the website even when they type the address of the actual site on the browser. Fraudsters use Domain Name System (DNS) cache poisoning. They alter the IP address linked to a particular site, which redirects to a malicious website.
Any of these attacks can devastate any business in varying degrees, from disrupting operations and losing a day’s revenue to damaging the brand and putting people out of work.
What can you do to protect your data and business?
A Guide to Securing Information
Data security begins with adequate policy. Your protocols for securing information, from the desktops to the mobile devices, has to be clear to all employees. Your workers also need to recognize a security issue and know how to deal with it. They also have to be aware of the consequences in failing to follow your security guidelines.
In addition to training employees on information security, you also have to be selective about who will have the credentials to access sensitive data.
Here’s a quick look at how to avoid a phishing attack:
- Check the content of the email you received. Look for telltale signs, like grammar and spelling errors. Weird characters are also signs of phishing.
- Be very wary of the website links indicated in the message. Most phishing emails have an extra dash, letter, or a suffix. Watch out for examples, like youcrompany.com or yourcompany.co.
- Update your antivirus solution, and keep all of your security patches current
- You’ll also want to require encryption for workers who telecommute
- Use SPAM filter that catches blank senders, viruses, and other such questionable emails
You have several more strategies to protect your data and business. One other option is to rely on our team of professionals to determine your risks and provide recommendations.
The Tools and Support Your Business Needs
We believe that an IT investment is the key to your success. As such, we offer you all the tools and support you need to grow and thrive. We upgrade and maintain your IT by making it simpler for your business and your staff while making sure your data is safe and secure.
We can help. Contact us today.