Secure Your Small Business from Phishing Emails with These 5 Tips
Your business could be vulnerable to phishing attacks regardless of its size. If you have a small...
4 min read
Recent phishing attacks have become even more intricate, with scammers using your email address or cell phone number to steal account information, passwords, and even your banking information. The latest phishing attacks have been utilizing the names of large, recognizable brands to try and get victims to click compromised links or open attachments.
Knowing how to identify and protect yourself against phishing scams is critical to keeping your small business safe. The information of your clients and employees can be at risk if you aren’t up-to-date on phishing attack tactics and other cyber risks. We’ve put together this guide to help you learn about new phishing scams and protect your company.
How to Recognize Phishing Attacks
Phishing attacks are becoming harder to recognize, but it is still possible to be prepared. The latest phishing attacks have come from scammers that disguise their emails to appear legitimate since they’re from trusted companies such as Apple, Amazon, Verizon, PECO, or Xfinity. These emails typically create a sense of urgency by mentioning a security issue or billing problem in your account and include a link for you to "reset your password," "verify your information," or "fix the issue."
Here's a real-world example of how scammers can trick you. This email appears to be from a major provider, Xfinity, and looks very legitimate. This is exactly how they can lure unsuspecting victims into giving away personal information or clicking malicious links.
These links are traps! Clicking them could lead to fake websites designed to steal your passwords, credit card details, or other sensitive information.
Thousands of phishing emails and text messages are sent out each day. Your small business is vulnerable to the latest phishing attacks, so you must be prepared to handle these situations.
How to Protect Yourself from Recent Phishing Attacks
- Don't click links in suspicious emails: Always verify the information directly by logging into your account through the official website or app (not using any links in the email).
- Check email addresses carefully: Phishing emails often have slightly misspelled sender addresses or use generic greetings like "Dear Customer" instead of your name.
- Verify by phone: Call any company or vendor who appears to send an account alert email directly. Call using publicly provided information, not the details in the email. Keep in mind that a call out is safe, but a call in is not.
- Never give out personal information over the phone: Legitimate companies will not ask for sensitive information through unsolicited calls or emails.
If you feel an email seems suspicious, the best action to take is to delete it without clicking anything. By staying vigilant, you can protect yourself from falling victim to scammers.
Stop Cyber Attacks with Security Steps You Can Take Today
Now that you know how recent phishing attacks are conducted, you can take steps to identify and protect your company. Having standard spam filters can keep out some phishing emails or texts, but you need to go further.
1. Update Your Security Software
Keep the security software on your computer and phone up to date. This ensures you are using the most recent version of your software that has been updated for new threats. Delaying a software update can leave your small business vulnerable to phishing attacks. You can make it easy for yourself to set your software updates to install automatically.
2. Use Multi-Factor Authentication
If a scammer can access your data through malware, they can easily access banking and card information. Using multi-factor authentication on your accounts makes it much harder for scammers to use the data they steal from a phishing attack. Security questions, unique PINs, one-time passcodes through text or email, and fingerprint or facial scans can add an extra layer of protection.
3. Backup Your Data
Some phishing scams use ransomware to hold your accounts hostage. You can protect your systems by backing up data regularly. Both computers and phones have backup capabilities to store data on external hard drives or in the cloud.
4. Partner with a Small Business IT Security Company
Trying to manage all aspects of your business IT security alone can be overwhelming. It might also mean that certain activities, like backing up data or updating software, fall to the side. That leaves you vulnerable to phishing scams. Using an IT security company that specializes in small businesses gives you extra protection against scammers.
Christo IT: Complete Cybersecurity Protection for Your Business
At Christo IT, we know that the threat of phishing scams is a major concern. We also know that the most recent phishing attacks have elevated the way in which scammers reach out to victims. That’s why we provide peace of mind with our cybersecurity support for small businesses.
Our comprehensive IT support includes ongoing data backups, antivirus maintenance, software updates, guidance and training for your staff, and always available help. Protect your small business from phishing attacks and other cybersecurity threats and contact Christo IT today.
