Did you know that almost half of people with social media accounts have admitted to falling for shopping scams? If members of your team are doing a little last minute Christmas shopping from work, how can you be sure your business if protected?

New research shows that a massive 47% of people have clicked on link hoping to get a great deal, instead, they end up giving financial and personal details to cyber criminals.

That could mean that they are not only putting their own data and money at risk, but your device – and even your network – could be exposed too.  It isn’t just shopping scams that are fooling people. Phishing links have tricked 36% of people into revealing personal data. Phishing is when you get an email that seems to be from a person or brand that you trust, but it isn’t. The same number have fallen for gift card scams – where a criminal gains victims trust and persuade them to buy gift cards or online vouchers.

If an employee clicks a malicious link or downloads an infected file using their work device, the results for a business can be devastating. The risks go beyond the loss of data and reputation. The cost of downtime while you get going again is enough to put many people out of business for good!

So, how can you protect your business against this type of scam? Not only right now but also throughout the year?

As well as having the right cyber security tools in place – such as firewalls, antivirus software, and strong password management – you should stay focused on training your people. Your best line of defence is a team that recognises a threat when they see one.

Make sure your people are aware of the latest scams and that they know the warning signs to look out for. Advise everyone to check that links are genuine, websites are the real deal, and be suspicious of offers that look too good to be true.

We would also recommend having a strong plan in place that kicks in the moment a security breach is spotted. Employees should all know to report any incidents immediately, and who they should inform. Acting quickly often lessens the impact of a data breach and makes it faster and less expensive to fix.

If you have any questions or would like any advice, please get in touch. We would love to help!

Published with permission from Your Tech Updates.