What is phishing?
Phishing is a common type of cyberattack in which attackers impersonate other people or institutions in order to trick you into revealing sensitive data or information like passwords, credit card numbers, and social security numbers.
Phishing is one of the most common and damaging threats to cybersecurity today for individuals and institutions alike. With AI technology growing continuously more sophisticated, it’s easier than ever for even tech-savvy people to be fooled into allowing or even accidentally enabling a network breach.
What does phishing look like?
Most people in their 30s or older are familiar with classic email phishing scams such as fake emails announcing that you won a contest and need to click a link to access the prize money, or more outlandish schemes such as hackers pretending to be celebrities or foreign royalty in urgent need of funds. Thankfully, most people who use the internet today can immediately see these types of emails for the cybersecurity threats they are.
In more recent years, however, devious hackers have learned to tailor their email phishing scams to impersonate institutions such as banks or even government services.
Other common types of phishing include:
- Spear phishing: An email addressed directly to a company executive, mimicking an employee or partner with a request for sensitive data. These emails leverage specific details about the target to seem credible.
- Whaling: A high-stakes request to a key decision-maker at a company for something like a wire transfer. Whaling scams will often impersonate another trusted colleague to win the target’s trust. If you are a CEO or key stakeholder at a company, it’s imperative to be on the lookout for whaling attacks.
- CEO fraud: When a hacker pretends to be the CEO of a company with an urgent request for a lower-ranking employee for sensitive data or money, is the inverse of this. Increasingly, AI technology can be deployed by hackers to mimic a CEO’s voice.
- Smishing or SMS phishing, leverages SMS texts to route people to fraudulent websites.
These phishing schemes often lead targets to fake webpages, where they will unknowingly enter sensitive information right into a hacker’s database. Or else they will open a spoof email that contains malware.
It’s imperative to not click on or open any email that appears to be a phishing scam, much less reply to it, and to contact your cybersecurity provider immediately.
Why is phishing a major cybersecurity concern?
Phishing is a fundamental network security issue because it exploits human error. Even if your company has invested heavily in cybersecurity software, a gullible or distracted employee can make even the best defenses vulnerable.
If you own or operate a business, a phishing cybersecurity attack is often very costly both financially and reputationally. A business that has been breached in a phishing scheme often loses money both from lost productivity and from having to expend resources to contain data loss.
Worse yet, you might be subject to ransomware or malware infections that prevent you from resuming normal operations until disaster recovery protocols are carried out. Depending on the scope of your data loss from a phishing scheme and what field your company is in, you may also run afoul of the law.
The loss of confidence from your clients, however, is even harder to recover from. After a cybersecurity attack, businesses sadly often lose clients and have trouble attracting new ones. You may also find that key intellectual property from your business is now publicly available, losing you your competitive edge.
Individuals who fall prey to phishing attacks can also suffer tremendous financial loss, both in the short term and from long term identity theft.
That’s why preventing phishing from impacting your business is one of the most important cybersecurity support investments you can make. A great cybersecurity partner will not only shore up your systems and protections but train your team to be wary of phishing attacks as well.
How can I identify a phishing attempt?
Nowadays, phishing scams are often so easy to fall for because they look convincing. Hackers can create spoof emails and fake login pages that look realistic, especially to distracted employees trying to multitask.
If you receive an email you don’t expect, take a second to look at the email address without opening the email. For instance, a spoof email attempting to mimic a bank might have a domain name that is similar but not identical to the actual bank’s domain.
Similarly, if you do open an email you suspect to be a phishing scam, check for any grammatical or spelling errors. Many hackers operate from outside the United States and are not native English speakers.
Oftentimes, institutions that have been subject to similar phishing schemes will publish information warning targets about what to look for. If you suspect you might be being targeted in a broad phishing attack, you may be able to find screenshots of similar attempts online.
What security measures can prevent phishing?
A great cybersecurity partner will help you find and implement the right protocols and software for your organization. This might include:
- Email security best practices such as spam filters, multi-factor authentication (MFA), and email encryption can reduce phishing risks. ClearFuze offers customized email security strategies that safeguard your organization’s communication channels, preventing phishing emails from reaching your inbox and ensuring secure access protocols are followed.
- Awareness and training that allows your team to avoid costly human errors that compromise cybersecurity defenses. ClearFuze provides tailored cybersecurity training, empowering your team to recognize phishing attempts and respond appropriately.
- Data protection tools and technology like anti-phishing software. ClearFuze offers advanced tools that integrate seamlessly into your IT infrastructure, helping you proactively identify and block phishing attempts before they can do harm.
Phishing attacks pose one of the most significant cybersecurity threats to companies and individuals today. While it’s important to remain vigilant and informed, implementing
effective cybersecurity practices to protect against phishing can go a long way toward protecting your company–operationally, financially, and reputationally.
If you’d like to learn more about how to protect yourself and your business from phishing with robust cybersecurity solutions, we’d love to help. Reach out to meet with us today.
Staying Ahead of Phishing Attacks
Phishing attacks are a real and growing threat, with the potential to put sensitive information at risk and disrupt trust. Protecting against these attacks means taking cybersecurity seriously and making it a priority. Staying informed, practicing safe browsing, and choosing the right cybersecurity tools are all small steps that make a big difference. By putting these protections in place, you’re not only securing your business today but also building a safer digital future.