Scams are on the Rise
Have you ever wondered how many phishing scams you and your employees encounter in a day? The answer might surprise you. In 2024 the number of employees that clicked on a phishing link actually tripled. Yes…Tripled.
A phishing scam is when cyber criminals try to steal sensitive information such as passwords or payment details by pretending to be a trusted source or contact. For example, imagine your employee gets an email that looks like it could be from Microsoft. This email may contain a link to a login page. Your employee – thinking the email is from Microsoft – enters their login information. That information then goes right into the hands of cyber criminals and they now have the keys to your business.
The problem is; that email probably did look like a legitimate email from Microsoft. Phishing scams are getting harder and harder to spot and what’s worse is that it isn’t just email attacks either. Scammers are branching out and planting fake links in search engines, social media, ads, website comments and more. Cyber criminals know that employees get taught to be cautious when it comes to emails so they are finding other ways to slip through the cracks!
However, this doesn’t mean you can lower your guard when it comes to emails though. Lets circle back to the beginning of this blog where I said that the clicks on phishing links has tripled. Part of the issue is fatigue. Your employees probably come across a lot oh phishing attempts and most of them they probably spot, but it is impossible to be in your guard every minute of the day.
So what’s the solution?
Education is one of the best ways to keep your team alert. Remember your team can be your biggest defence but also one of your biggest vulnerabilities. Keeping them educated on how phishing is developing can bolster your defences a lot. A well-trained team can spot phishing attempts before any damage is done.
Another important thing to do is to make sure that your team are not carrying all of the responsibility. Using tools that are designed to protect you, gives you that added layer of protection. Tools such as multi-factor authentication combined with up-to-date software and a strong cyber security plan gives you a much better chance of keeping your business safe. Plus ensuring you have a good back up system in place, just in case the worst happens puts your business in a much better position.
If you would like any help or advice on cyber security, get in touch!
Here is our guide all about Phishing!
Here is our previous blog article about backups and the differences between them!