5 Ways Your Business Can Prepare for the Next Phishing Attack

While running a business, security must be your first priority. Be it a small scale or a large business, if you are newly established or a veteran, it is always important to keep your business data’s and details protected.

But in this age of machines, with improving technology, it also leaves room for vulnerability. Technology has no doubt, made it easier to protect our intimate data. But man is smarter. He can easily hack into your protected details if you are not careful. After all, man is the master that created the art of technical skills and machines and therefore, he also knows how to break through his own invention. A Phishing attack on processors is a just new and a different approach.

Phishing is an illegal activity of stealing data and information from a computer through social engineering attacks. These data might include bank details, credit card details, login details, etc. The attacker dupes you in believing that he/she is a trusted entity and therefore you provide all the details asked by the attacker. The attacker sends a mail on behalf of the trusted entity and fools when you open or clicks the link.

There are three types:

1. Spear

2. clone

3. whaling

In spear phishing an attacker gathers information on the targeted victim and creates a fake email, filling it with more authentic information to make it look genuine.

While in clone, the attacker creates a nearly identical copy of the previously sent email that the attacker can view legitimately. To the cloned fake mail, they replace an attachment or link to something malicious.

And lastly, whaling is targeted to a high profile or a senior executive in an organization. The whaling attempt will often be presented as a legal communication or any other high-level executive business.

One may often receive such similar messages where they offer tempting proposals for the customers so that the customer may open the message for the unknown individual to hack into our data and information. Such nonsensical rumors or messages or sent under the name of your business can hit the reputation in the market really hard. It may happen the other way round where all your information related to may business may get exposed to our hacker.

So, it is very much necessary to develop a well-secured network. Especially, when the rate of phishing victims are increasing day by day and the consequences are harmful.

A few years back, there was a horrible scam which sent phony ‘shipping information’ mail to 3000 small scale businesses. Pretending to be sent from UPS, the email consisted of a link that claimed to be the tracking information. But turns out it consisted of malware instead which infected a lot of computers.

Such news only is warnings to no more handle the chances of a phishing attack on your business with ignorance. A small business does not imply being safe marked from phishing attacks. In fact, small scale businesses are more vulnerable to phishing attacks.

Business is built on trust among the owner and the customers. It also depends on forming a firm figure in the market. Thus to create such a reputation, performance and assurance of protection of data by the company build such an image. Customer can only believe to buy your idea only if the reviews assure your customer’s satisfaction in the past.

No matter how big your business is, it is vulnerable to phishing attacks. Usually, a newly established small business do not have specific IT department. They do not have the ability to afford a big budget plan. As an amateur or someone who is unaware of technical computer jargons, detecting a phishing attack can be difficult.

The following 5 ways can help to prepare your business any further phishing attacks:

• Buy good antivirus software and spam filter:

It is the beginning step in assuring secured data in our computer. Most businesses often ignore this basic procedure. Such tools are very essential in catching phishing emails and malware even before they pop up in your inbox. Compare and analyze carefully to find the antivirus and spam filter for your device most features, best reviews, and affordable price. Popular spam filters include SpamAssassin and SPAMfighter Pro; while often used, customer recommended antivirus are Avast, Norton, and Symantec.

• Keep all your software and devices updated:

It is necessary to make sure that all your computers are updated with the latest version of all kinds of software including web browsers. New updates can fix many worms and other types of malware exploit vulnerabilities. But be careful of the fake update alerts. Such are cleverly disguised malware. Thus it is suggested to update the software automatically whenever the dialog box appears.

• Purchase cyber insurance:

The general business insurance hardly covers any threats of cyberattacks. Think about how damaging must be the consequence if your business falls from a successful phishing attack. So, it is wise to shop a good policy for assistance in recovery.

• Educate your employees:

Many people are just not aware of the harmful acts of phishing. They choose to ignore or considers that such an attack is not effective on small scale businesses. The easy and the best way to educate your people on the effects of a phishing attack is to organize an educational program or reuse an existing one which can teach how to identify and avoid clicking and opening of suspicious emails along with other important security tips.

• Real-life application test:

Anti-Phishing security often skips a real-life application test in the whole procedure to protect and detect against any phishing attack. A portrayal of the theories and strategies devised in real life can be a handful in an actual situation.  In this, a fake ‘phishing email’ is created and sent to an unsuspecting staff. Such demonstration emails should run the gamut of typical tactics i.e. asking for a password reset, requesting a money transfer, or can even be offering a “free pizza”. If anyone by mistake clicks on the link, instead of being phished. On clicking on the link, they are taken, however, to a landing page informing them of their error.

Conclusion

Phishing and cyber-attacks cause huge losses for companies throughout the year. To prevent your company from falling prey in these phishing attacks, opt for the 5 ways to keep your business safe from all kinds of cyberattacks.

Contact us today to learn about Bleuwire™  services and solutions in how we can help your business.