Phishing attacks remain the most prevalent form of cybercrime for a simple reason: they are effective. Every day, over 3.4 billion spam emails flood the inboxes of unsuspecting users. Phishing emails have dominated as the most common type of cyberattack for years due to their ease of execution, scalability, and ability to deceive people. With the advent of AI tools like ChatGPT, cybercriminals can now craft emails that appear more human-like, increasing their chances of success. If you’re not vigilant, the consequences of phishing scams can be severe.
In honor of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and given that phishing emails are a leading cause of cyberattacks, we’ve put together this straightforward guide to help you and your team identify phishing emails and understand the importance of doing so.
What Can Happen? Here Are 4 Significant Dangers Associated with Phishing Attacks:
1. Data Breaches
Phishing attacks can expose your organization’s sensitive information to cybercriminals. Once compromised, hackers can sell your data on the dark web or hold it for ransom, often demanding exorbitant sums without any guarantee of its return. This can lead to financial and legal repercussions, damage to your reputation, and loss of customer trust.
2. Financial Loss
Cybercriminals frequently use phishing emails to directly steal money from businesses. Whether through fraudulent invoices or unauthorized transactions, falling victim to phishing can have a direct and detrimental impact on your financial bottom line.
3. Malware Infections
Phishing emails can contain malicious attachments or links that, when clicked, infect your systems with malware. This can disrupt your operations, result in data loss, and necessitate costly remediation efforts.
4. Compromised Accounts
When employees fall for phishing scams, their accounts can be compromised. Attackers can then use these accounts to launch further attacks or gain unauthorized access to sensitive company data.
These are just a few of the many risks. However, there are steps you can take to avoid becoming the next victim of a phishing attack.
Introducing the S.E.C.U.R.E. Method to Identify Phishing Emails:
- S – Start With The Subject Line: Is it unusual or suspicious? (e.g., “FWD: FWD: FWD: review immediately”)
- E – Examine The Email Address: Do you recognize the sender? Is the email address unusual or misspelled, or is it from an unknown source?
- C – Consider The Greeting: Is the salutation unusual or generic? (e.g., “Hello Ma’am!”)
- U – Unpack The Message: Does the email create a sense of extreme urgency, prompting you to click a link, download an attachment, or act on an unbelievable offer?
- R – Review For Errors: Are there grammatical mistakes or odd misspellings?
- E – Evaluate Links And Attachments: Hover over links to check the address before clicking, and avoid opening attachments from unknown senders or unexpected sources.
Additionally, it’s crucial to have a cybersecurity expert monitor your network and filter out email spam before employees can make mistakes. Ensure you are taking the necessary precautions to protect your network. Phishing attacks are effective and occur frequently. We don’t want YOU to be the next victim.
If you need help training your team on cybersecurity best practices or implementing a robust cybersecurity system, or just want a second set of eyes to examine what you currently have in place and assess if there are any vulnerabilities, we are ready to help. Call us at 859-245-0582 or click here to book a consult with our team.
