How to Ensure Your Employees Don’t Fall Victim to a Phishing Attack

Educate Your Employees

Perhaps the most important component of a strong cybersecurity strategy is education. It would be best to empower your employees to know how to react when they receive suspicious emails. It’s no longer a matter of when but when it comes to phishing emails. There are a host of red flags to be aware of:

• Emails with generic greetings – Phishing emails will often begin with greetings such as “Hello Sir” or “Hello [Bank X] Customer” as opposed to the actual account holder’s name. Any emails without any identifiable information that are requesting important customer data should be looked at very carefully.
• Spoofed links – You should train your employees to always roll over a link in an email with their mouse before clicking on it. If you see that the web address doesn’t match or that it doesn’t begin with HTTPS, you should avoid clicking on the link. A website should never ask for sensitive information if it is not properly secured with an HTTPS connection.
• Emails asking for personal information – Most companies will never send an email asking for login credentials or personal information by simply clicking on a website link. This is to help customers identify fraudulent emails.

Run Simulated Phishing Assessments

Aside from cybersecurity awareness training, one of the best ways to ensure your employees don’t fall victim to a phishing attack is by conducting regular simulated phishing assessments within your organization. These phishing tests mimic a real malicious attack and help gauge your employee’s preparedness along with their skills to defend against phishing threats.

Use Anti-Malware Software

Most antivirus and antimalware software programs have anti-phishing tools to spot fraudulent emails and links within those emails. Be sure to keep your software up to date to ensure you’re protected against the latest virus, malware, and specific phishing threats.

Check Online Accounts Regularly

It’s always a good idea to check your online bank and credit card accounts regularly to spot any irregularities. It’s always a good idea to regularly change your passwords at these institutions to prevent unauthorized access.

When In Doubt, Call the Institution Directly

If you or anyone on your team receives an email that looks legitimate, but you’re not 100% sure, it’s always a good idea to call the institution in question to determine whether they actually sent the email. Please don’t use any phone numbers listed in the actual email itself. Instead, do a quick online search to find a legitimate phone number for the organization and call them directly to determine whether the correspondence is authentic.