Thankfully, phishing attacks are preventable, as nearly all email attacks require the recipient to physically click on a link or open an attachment. Cybersecurity provider Proofpoint’s ‘2019 Human Factor’ report states 99 percent of all cyberattacks relied on human interaction to execute. You can avoid becoming a victim through your actions—don’t click on a link or open an attachment in a phishing email. Here are some red flags to help you detect phishing scams:
• The sender is someone you don’t ordinarily communicate with • You don’t recognize any of the other recipients of the email
• The email concerns something outside of your job responsibilities
• The message within the email is vague
• It contains an attachment you didn’t request or weren’t expecting
• The domain of the sender’s email address has typos (for example, @amazorn.com)
• Hovering over a hyperlink with your mouse reveals a website unrelated to the sender
• The hyperlink contains a misspelling of a known website (for example, @droppbox.com)
• It requests you provide personally identifiable information or account numbers and passwords
While you can educate yourself and your employees about how to detect phishing emails, people make mistakes. We receive a lot of emails each week…it’s easy to let your guard down. Therefore, the best way to protect yourself from phishing scams is through technology. Spam filters, internet browser settings, multi-factor authentication, data backups, and regularly updated security software eliminate the human element and provide much-needed layers of protection against phishing scams.
Let the team at KDI help you with cybersecurity and prevent a phishing attack. Contact us today!