One single click can deprive you of your identity, money, and personal information – all because of a phishing email.
From the creation of the very first computer worm in 1988, the Morris Worm, and ransomware software in 1989, to phishing, cybercrime has come a long way.
Phishing is a cyber-attack where an email is used as a weapon to deceive a person to get their credit information, password, or sensitive information. And it really is working for hackers!
Cybercriminals are lurking on the internet with their bait ready to trap you – and nobody is safe from them.
From individuals and government departments to businesses, everyone is becoming a victim of phishing emails.
It’s been found out that 97% of employees can not identify a phishing email, which means that it is a big threat for most of us.
Best ways to keep phishers out
Businesses have become sensitized over the phishing issue due to flooding of news by intimidating phishing stories. But the phishers are also becoming smarter, sharper, and more clever than before. It means that you don’t have a margin to make a single mistake.
Here are given some ways to become proactive and save yourself from becoming a victim of a phishing attack:
Security Resources
There are many security software and tools, like anti-phishing software and toolbars, which you can incorporate in your system to combat security threats.
A SPAM filter can also detect email containing viruses or blank senders, which are common types of phishing emails. Make sure to install a strong antivirus software and update it regularly.
How to avoid the phishing hook
Besides emails, cybercriminals also use fake websites as a source to trap you. That’s why you should always browse through ‘https’ websites and check the spellings of the websites.
Sometimes, hackers use the wrong spelling of famous websites to deceive people.
Once you are dangling in the online world, you should take each step cautiously because you never know when you would end up getting entrapped in a hacker’s trap. Don’t forget to apply web filters to filter out malicious websites.
Employee Training
One of the most common causes of getting vulnerable to a phishing attack is the lack of employee training. No matter how robust security software you have installed, and how much security experts you have on panel, if your employees aren’t trained, nothing will work. That’s what we call human security wall!
Train your employees to recognize phishing attacks
Employees possess important business information which you can’t afford to lose just because your employee wasn’t aware of the cyber threats. So, it is better to train your employees to combat such widespread threats. Don’t stick to old training methods, devise new, advanced and effective phishing awareness resources to train employees for better results.
Security Policy
Besides employee training, a security policy is also essential to keep things in check.
Develop a policy about who in the office needs to be given access to sensitive information and who is better off the hook. Many companies carelessly keep important files on the system with open access to everyone. While it’s good to show your trust to employees you don’t want to give them access to everything.
Also, focus on serious clauses regarding sharing of any kind of company’s information with anyone without the permission of higher-ups, etc. Most of the data breaches are the result of employee’s carelessness, don’t become a victim of it!
With every technological advancement, it is becoming harder for individuals and businesses to save themselves from savvy hackers. It might be difficult to save your neck from them, but not impossible. With some tools, compact planning and action, you can keep pushers at a secure distance from your life!
