A single click can be the difference between maintaining data security and suffering massive financial losses. From the moment just one employee takes the bait in a phishing email, your business is vulnerable to data breaches and extensive downtime. Cybercriminals have become more resourceful, so it’s important to know what you should look out for.
Quickly spot the red flags and put phishing emails where they belong:
- Poor spelling and grammar
While occasional typos happen to even the best of us, an email filled with errors is often a clear warning sign. Most companies put their campaigns through multiple reviews before publishing them, so errors are caught, and language is refined. Frequent errors throughout the entire message indicate that the same level of care was not taken, and therefore the message is potentially fraudulent.
- An offer too good to be true
Free items or a lottery win sure sound great, but when the offer comes out of nowhere and with no catch? There’s definitely cause for concern. Take care not to get carried away and click without investigating deeper.
- A random sender who knows too much
Phishing has advanced in recent years to include ‘spear phishing', which is an email or offer designed especially for your business. Culprits take details from your public channels, such as a recent function or award, and then use them against you. The only clues? The sender is unknown – they weren’t at the event or involved in any way. Take a moment to see if their story checks out before engaging.
- The URL or email address is not quite right
One of the most effective techniques used in phishing emails is to use domains that look almost right. For example, [microsoft.info.com] or [pay-pal.com]. Hover over the link with your mouse and review where it will take you. If it doesn’t look right or is completely different from the link text, send that email straight to the bin.
- It asks for personal, financial, or business details
Alarm bells should ring when a message contains a request for personal, business, or financial information. If you believe there may be a genuine issue, you can initiate a check using established, trusted channels.
While education is the best way to ensure phishing emails are unsuccessful, a robust spam filter and solid anti-virus system provide peace of mind that your business has the best protection available.
Contact us to discuss how we can secure your system against costly phishing attacks, as well as the full suite of cybersecurity solutions we can provide for your business.
