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Fixing Your Weakest Link: Your Employees

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Phishing: Part 3

You can have every piece of security hardware in the books: firewall, backup disaster recovery device, and even anti-virus. However, your employees will still be the biggest vulnerability in your organization when it comes to phishing attacks. How do you mitigate as much risk as possible?

  1. Create and Strictly Enforce a Password Policy: Passwords should be complex, randomly generated, and replaced regularly. In order to test the strength of your password go to howsecureismypassword.com. (This is a perfectly safe service sponsored by a password protection platform that tells you how long it would take a hacker to decode your password.) When creating a password policy, bear in mind that the most prevalent attacks are Dictionary attacks. Most people utilize real words for their passwords. Hackers will typically try all words before trying a brute force attack. Instead of words, use a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols. The longer the password, the stronger it is. While it’s difficult to remember passwords across different platforms, try not to repeat passwords. This will protect all other accounts in the event of a breach on one of your accounts.
  2. Train and Test Your Employees Regularly: Educate your employees on how they can spot a phishing attack. Then, utilize penetration testing (this is a safe phishing attack orchestrated by your IT company to see how employees respond) and how well they do. If employees fall for phishing attempts then send them through training again. We recommend doing this on a quarterly basis to ensure that your employees stay on their toes and you should provide education on the latest attacks.
  3. Create a Bring Your Own Device Policy and Protect all Mobile Phones: You can safeguard as much as humanly possible on your network, but your employees are all walking in with cell phones. Are they allowed to get work emails on their phones? What about gaining access to the network remotely? Cell phones create a big black hole in security without proper mobile device management and mobile security.
  4. Perform Software Updates Regularly: Make sure that your software is up-to-date with all the latest security patches. Holding off on updates means that you’re leaving yourself open to vulnerabilities that have been discovered and addressed.
  5. Invest in Security: Security is not something for cost savings. Home-based hardware is not sufficient, and you, at the very least need a quality firewall and backup device. Invest in your employee’s training, ongoing security updates, and maintaining a full crisis/breach plan.

There are two things that aren’t going away in any business, employees and security threats. Make sure that you’ve taken care of everything you can to avoid falling victim to these attacks.

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How to Spot A Phishing Attack

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Phishing: Part 2

Would you know if you were the subject of a phishing attack? Many people claim that they’d be able to tell right away if they received an email from an illegitimate source. If that were the case, there wouldn’t be 1.5 million new phishing websites every month. A 65% increase in attacks in one year! Hackers would have moved on to their next idea for swindling people out of their identities and money. How do you spot a phishing attack and avoid falling victim yourself?


Look for these red flags:


Sender Email Address: Always check to make sure that the email address is legitimate. Amateur hackers will send things from Gmail or Hotmail accounts and hope you don’t notice. More sophisticated hackers will closely mimic an actual email domain, like amazonprime.com rather than amazon.com. Double check the email address before responding, clicking, or opening, even if the from name appears correct.

Discrepancies in Writing Format: If the attack is coming from overseas, you’re likely to notice some small issues in writing format, like writing a date as 4th April, 2019 rather than April 4, 2019. While this is subtle, it should be a red flag.

Grammar Issues: We all fall victim to the occasional typo, but if you receive an email riddled with grammar and spelling mistakes, consider the source. It’s likely from a hacker, especially if the email supposedly comes from a major organization.

Sender Name: This one is also difficult to track, but phishing emails will typically close with a very generic name to avoid raising suspicion. You should recognize the people that send you emails, or at the very least clearly understand their role at the organization.

Link Destination: Before you click on any link in an email be sure to hover over it. The destination URL should pop up. Check out the domain name of this URL. Similar to the sender email address, make sure that this address is legitimate before clicking.

Attachments: Is it realistic to expect an attachment from this sender? Rule of thumb, don’t open any attachment you don’t expect to receive, whether it’s a Zip file, PDF or otherwise. The payload for a ransomware attack often hides inside.

Email Design: A kooky font like Comic Sans should immediately raise red flags, especially if you don’t clearly recognize the sender.

Links to Verify Information: Never ever click on a link to verify information. Instead, if you think the information does need updating go directly to the website. Type in your email and password, and update your information from the Account tab. Always go directly to the source.

Odd Logo Use: Hackers try their best to mimic a websites’ look and feel. Oftentimes, they get very close; but they won’t be perfect. If something feels off, it probably is.

While there is no fool-proof method for avoiding falling victim to a phishing attack, knowing how to spot likely culprits is one step in the right direction. We’ll cover other protective measures to reduce your risk of falling victim to phishing attacks in our next blog.

Phishing

What Is Phishing & How Are Hackers Using It?

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Phishing: Part 1

While the number of people falling for sending personal information to the crown prince of Nigeria in hopes of receiving his promised wealth and riches seems to be dropping, phishing remains a major issue. In fact, the number of phishing campaigns pursued by hackers around the world increased 65% in the last year.

What exactly is phishing? Hackers mimic the emails, forms, and websites of legitimate companies in an effort to lure people into providing their private, personal information, like credit card numbers, social security information, account logins, and personal identifiers. The victim typically doesn’t realize they’ve been compromised until long after the event, and oftentimes only after their identity or finances are affected. In the past, an attack was carried out relatively quickly. As soon as the victim gave up their information, the hacker moved in and stole money from the compromised account. Today, it’s often more lucrative for hackers to sell that information on the Dark Web, resulting in longer-lasting and even more devastating attacks.

3 Types of Phishing Attacks

Spear Phishing

Phishing attempts directed at specific individuals or companies have been termed spear phishing. Attackers may gather personal information about their target to increase their probability of success. This technique is by far the most successful on the Internet today, accounting for 91% of attacks.

Threat Group-4127 used spear phishing tactics to target email accounts linked to Hillary Clinton‘s 2016 presidential campaign. They attacked more than 1,800 Google accounts and implemented accounts-google.com domain to threaten targeted users.

Clone Phishing

Clone phishing is a type of phishing attack whereby a legitimate and previously delivered email containing an attachment or link, has had its content and recipient address(es) taken and used to create an almost identical or cloned email. The attachment or link within the email is replaced with a malicious version and then sent from an email address spoofed to appear as though it came from the original sender. It may claim to be a resend of the original or an updated version to the original. This technique could be used to pivot (indirectly) from a previously infected machine and gain a foothold on another machine, by exploiting the social trust associated with the inferred connection due to both parties receiving the original email.

Whaling

Several phishing attacks have been directed specifically at senior executives and other high-profile targets within businesses. The term whaling has been coined for these kinds of attacks. In the case of whaling, the masquerading web page/email will take a more serious executive-level form. The content will be crafted to target an upper manager and the person’s role in the company. The content of a whaling attack email is often written as a legal subpoena, customer complaint, or executive issue. Whaling scam emails are designed to masquerade as a critical business email, sent from a legitimate business authority. The content is meant to be tailored for upper management, and usually involves some kind of falsified company-wide concern. Whaling phishers have also forged official-looking FBI subpoena emails and claimed that the manager needs to click a link and install special software to view the subpoena.

Have you ever gotten an email from your bank or medical office asking you to update your information online or confirm your username and password? Maybe a suspicious email from your boss asking you to execute a wire transfer. That is most likely a spear phishing attempt, and you’re among the 76% of businesses that were victims of a phishing attack in the last year.

Method of Delivery

Phishing scams are not always received through email and hackers are getting trickier and trickier with their preferred method of execution. In 2017, officials caught onto attacks using SMS texting (smishing), Voice phishing (vishing) or social engineering, a method in which users can be encouraged to click on various kinds of unexpected content for a variety of technical and social reasons.

Ransomware: The Consequence

Phishing is the most widely used method for spreading ransomware, and has increased significantly since the birth of major ransomware viruses like Petya and Wannacry. Anyone can become a victim of phishing or in turn, ransomware attacks. However, hackers have begun targeting organizations that are more likely to pay the ransoms. Small businesses, education, government, and healthcare often, don’t have valid data backups. Therefore they are unable to roll back to a pre-ransomed version of their data. Instead, they have to pay their way out or cease to exist. Outside of ransom costs, victims of phishing campaigns are often branded as untrustworthy and many of their customers turn to their competitors, resulting in even greater financial loss.

Why are effective phishing campaigns so rampant despite public awareness from media coverage?

Volume: There are nearly 5 million new phishing sites created every month, according to Webroot Threat Report. There are now even Phishing as a Service companies, offering phishing attacks in exchange for payment. One Russian website, “Fake Game,” claims over 61,000 subscribers and 680,000 credentials stolen.

They work: Over 30% of phishing messages get opened, and 12% of targets click on the embedded attachments or links, according to the Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report. In short, these hackers have gotten really good at looking really legitimate.

They’re simple to execute: New phishing campaigns and sites can be built by sophisticated hackers in a matter of minutes. While we think there are far more legitimate ways to be earning money, these individuals have made a living out of duplicating their successful campaigns.

Now that you have an understanding of what phishing is, our next two blogs will teach you How to Spot a Phishing Attack, and Fixing Your Weakest Link: Your Employees.

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The MVP of Your Business’s Cybersecurity is YOU!

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March Madness of Cybersecurity: Part 1

As a small or medium-sized business owner, you may not have the same level of resources as large corporations. However, that doesn’t mean you should overlook the importance of protecting your business from cyber threats.

Identifying the most critical aspects of your business that need protection and focusing your resources on those areas is a start, but there’s one component that can protect the business as a whole: your team.

The “MVP” or Most Valuable Player mindset puts your employees at the forefront of defense.

We can help you to make your entire team a roster of MVPs. We’ll perform a security risk assessment to identify gaps or any risks. This will review your business’s digital assets, including customer data, financial information, and intellectual property. We will identify which of these assets are critical to your business’s success and could cause the most damage if they were compromised.

Next, we’ll implement measures to protect those critical assets. This will include using strong passwords, multi-factor authentication, and encryption to secure your data. We will also implement our ongoing cybersecurity training program. This will help your employees recognize and avoid potential threats like phishing emails or malware.

Then we’ll create a plan in place for responding to a cyber-attack. This will include clear protocols for reporting and responding to security incidents, and make sure all employees are aware of the steps they should take in the event of an attack.

We’ll regularly review and update your cybersecurity measures as new threats emerge. By taking a proactive approach to cybersecurity and focusing your resources on protecting your most valuable assets, you can help reduce the risk of a damaging cyber-attack on your SMB.

Social Media Phishing

Quiz Time: Can You Handle Social Media Phishing Attacks at work?

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Our last three blogs have discussed cybersecurity threats and how they affect a business. We have talked about the dangers that stem from various types of malware. We have warned you about the newest cybersecurity risks expected to wreak havoc on businesses soon. And in the face of the ongoing growing acceptance of remote work setups, we have delved into the threats related to working from home. Now, we will now talk about social media phishing.

The common thing in all these topics is that they are all linked to phishing. A strong phishing attack can make a network open to the online threats that we have talked about. Thus, you and your employees must know how to handle social media phishing attacks at work. To find out just how prepared your staff is to circumvent phishing attacks on social media, you can have them take the following quiz.

A Brief Quiz on Social Media Phishing

Here are ten statements that have to do with phishing in social media. Read each one carefully and decide whether it is TRUE or FALSE.

  1. It’s safe to click on social media links and messages at work.
  2. A lot of phishing attacks use publicly available information.
  3. Social media phishing attacks target only individuals, not organizations.
  4. A cybersecurity risk assessment reveals the weak areas in your company’s security strategy.
  5. A ransomware attack occurs once every 40 seconds.
  6. Hackers have a lower chance of attacking smaller businesses.
  7. Malware and virus protection is more important than employee cybersecurity training.
  8. Cybersecurity insurance can save your business.
  9. Two-factor authentication is better for account logins.
  10. Working from home and working from the office are equally safe.

Quiz Answers

  1. False – Even if your company has a reliable cybersecurity system in place, it’s never 100% certain and could be a social media phishing scam. Always be conscious and vigilant if you want your data and network to stay secure.
  2. True – Most of the time, hackers use information already available to the public. We should be careful in revealing information, even if it seems harmless. Hackers might use anything that is made public as a tool for attacking your important files.
  3. False – Social media phishing attacks used to target individuals, but the hackers that use this method have now levelled up and are also targeting organizations, even big companies.
  4. True – You don’t have to wait for an actual phishing attack to gauge the strength or weakness of your defenses. An MSP can give you a thorough risk assessment to identify the weak spots you need to work on.
  5. True – Ransomware attacks are much more frequent than people realize. Most businesses are on a hacker’s hit list, but they have not launched an attack yet.
  6. False – Smaller businesses are at a greater risk because they often have weaker defenses against online threats,
  7. False – Both are very important and go hand-in-hand with an effective cybersecurity strategy.
  8. True – Some business owners forego getting cybersecurity insurance, thinking it is unnecessary and expensive. But if you fall victim to a security breach, it can cost you upwards of $50,000, and cyber insurance can help cover such amounts.
  9. True – Two-factor authentication is much harder for hackers to penetrate than single-step login, making it more secure.
  10. False – While there are plenty of things we can do to make working from home safer, it is still not nearly as secure as working from the office, where software updates and router upgrades are easily done.

Evaluating the Results

Did you get a 10? If so, you have the knowledge and skills to deal with any online attack! Warding off phishing attacks on social media will be a cinch!

A lower score means you need more training, which is something the company can do. As a comprehensive managed services provider, we have a highly competent cybersecurity team that can train your entire staff and prepare your company to face cybersecurity risks. Contact us today to learn more!

If you want to be more thorough with testing your Phishing knowledge, we have another quiz for you to take! After taking your quizzes, if you need to learn more about cybersecurity please watch our cybersecurity webinar, so you can better protect yourself and your business!

Risks of Working from Home

Addressing the Cybersecurity Risks of Working from Home

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A remote workforce has become the norm since the pandemic. Even now that we consider it safe to return to office work, many businesses have maintained the remote work setup because of the advantages. However, the risks of working from home also bring issues that need attention so as not to risk the company’s network and data.

What Are the Cybersecurity Risks That Come with Working from Home?

There are risks when working from home. Workers lack the usual protective measures used in an office network. Many workers use their home networks and may also use the same device for both work and personal things. Because of this, there are a lot of security issues that can arise and possibly cause damage to the company.

The Risks of Vulnerable Personal Networks When Working From Home

You can keep your home network protected by regularly updating your antivirus software. However, most people do not realize there is also a need to update their router software. Without doing this, you will make your home network, and sadly your work data, open to the prying eyes of online criminals. Which can risk your company data when working from home.

Greater Reliance on Technology

Now more than ever, we rely heavily on online tools for doing all kinds of business. Besides the basic emailing and sending of files, Almost everything else gets done using digital technology, from video calling to banking to fulfilling orders. This widespread use of online tools gives higher risk when working from home. As a result, hackers have more opportunities to hack company records.

Lack of Cybersecurity Awareness

In the office setting, IT people take care of any cyber security issues. Thus, employees do not take such matters too seriously as it is not their primary work, although they are still liable. You must train them in cybersecurity and be sure they are aware of potential issues when working at home. But, this is not the case since most employees still lack adequate skills and knowledge to avoid these cybersecurity threats.

Fatigue and Lack of Focus

Human error is still the most common cause of data breaches, and this is especially true in a remote work setting. Studies have shown that almost 40% of work-from-home employees feel really tired in the remote work setup. In addition, they also need to juggle home chores, which reduces their focus on applying cybersecurity protocols and makes them lax in their judgment. All these things combined can greatly increase the chance of remote employees exposing the company’s confidential files to hackers by accident.

Risks of Weak Passwords When Working From Home

In trying to bypass company networks through remote workers, hackers will try to crack the user’s passwords. It is the easiest method, and it just so happens that many people still use weak passwords, even for sensitive accounts.

The Risks of Using Personal Devices When Working From Home

In the typical office environment, employees will use computers sent by the company with current malware protection. When working at home, however, people use their laptops or smartphones. These are likely to have less than adequate IT security measures installed, like data encryption.

Making Remote Work Safer From Cybersecurity Risks

There are many benefits to working from home. If you feel this is the best strategy for your company, go for it. However, make sure that all remote processes are completely secure. This step is where we can help!

Since we are focusing on cybersecurity this quarter, we have developed a little Quiz for you and your employees to take. Not only is the Quiz fun, but it counts toward your Employee Cybersecurity Training! Access the Quiz Here!

Our cybersecurity experts can equip your company and your remote workers with the skills and technology to stay protected from malware attacks and other online threats. Contact us to learn more about our comprehensive and fully customizable cybersecurity services today!

Cybersecurity risks

New Cybersecurity Risks: Are You Prepared?

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The ongoing development of digital technology has been highly beneficial for businesses globally. Processing data is faster, reaching customers is much easier, and everything is much more efficient. But with these benefits, there is also a growing cause of concern with cybersecurity risks. Hackers have access to the same advanced tech. They have used it to their advantage to get private information.

What Are the Top Cybersecurity Risks Today?

Each year brings with it new trends in terms of online risks. If you are a business owner, stay aware of the latest threats to keep your business safe and protected. Here are some of the newest threats you should know about.

Vehicle Hacking

Many cars today come with software that makes travel more efficient and safer. It is ironic, though, that these new safety features also bring with them a different safety hazard.

With the wireless tech used in these systems, users can also become exposed to several threats. Hackers will target the most unsecured of these systems to tap into the mic or even secure control of vehicles. If you plan on using this tech, be ready with suitable cybersecurity measures to counter these threats.

Artificial Intelligence

For some time now, AI has helped to create security systems, such as face detection. But AI is also being used by hackers in this modern time. Some AI-based malware can bypass advanced security protocols and secure access to private information.

Mobile Malware Attacks

The growth of cell phones in the last decade has been amazing. Today, almost everyone owns a mobile device. Many people even have two or three that they use, not just for personal use but also for work purposes.

Naturally, hackers are taking advantage of this growth. Not only are there millions of prospective victims, but most mobile devices are not even that protected. That is why this community is a gold mine for hackers to collect your data.

Cloud Threats

The cloud is another place for new risks. There have always been strict security measures applied on clouds because they can be risky. But with the increased use of these online comes an increased risk of data leaks or unauthorized access.

Cloud apps come with security protocols. However, as a business owner, you should have your own cyber security measures in place for added protection.

Human Error

Amidst all the new cybersecurity risks, the fact remains that human error is the most common cause of data and network security issues. Even with the most advanced security measures, your company will still be at risk for attack unless you educate your employees.

Businesses must conduct training regularly for their employees. Likewise, it is wise to do constant surprise readiness checks to see how aware and prepared your staff is to handle online threats like phishing and malware attacks.

Preparation is the Best Defense Against Cybersecurity Risks

New cybersecurity risks will always appear, and there’s not much we can do about it. Make sure your business is as protected as it can be from these modern threats.

We can help your defences in multiple ways. Can set up the most secure cybersecurity system for your company. Equip you with the knowledge and skills to protect your data and network. We can train your staff. Turn them into an efficient first line of defence against any online threat.

If you are ready to take your defences to the next level, call us and we will set you up. And you can start your new Employee Training today and have everyone in your office watch our Free Cybersecurity Webinar.

Malware

Understanding Why Malware is Such a Huge Threat

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Malware has become a familiar term for computer users, and this is not such a good thing. They coined the term back in the 1990s and it is a combination of the English words “malicious” and “software”. As its etymology suggests, it refers to harmful programs meant to deal with damage to systems, often to gain access to confidential data. These threats are very widespread and are becoming an increasingly serious cybersecurity threat.

Common Types of Malware to Watch Out for

Over the years, hackers have developed new types of malware. To stay protected, one of the first things we need to do is to be aware of these threats and how each of them works.

Viruses

Computer viruses work in the same way as viruses that cause people to get sick. When you open a nefarious file, which can happen even with a single unintentional click, the virus that is attached to it will infect your computer. It will replicate itself within your system and attach itself to other programs. Just like a regular virus, it will spread across different computers until the entire network is infected.

Spyware

The purpose of spyware is to peek into confidential data. It attaches itself to legitimately downloaded files, and once it is inside your system, it reports information like passwords, account names, bank details, and so on, to a separate website. Often, you can tell if spyware has infected you if your computer slows down considerably.

Adware

Do you ever notice those annoying pop-up ads that show up while you are using your computer? It’s hard not to. Sometimes they tell you your computer is now infected, or you have won a prize. This malware will start showing up after you have downloaded something from an unsecured website. The adware pop-ups are not dangerous in themselves, but when you click on them, they will get a lot more hazardous quickly.

Ransomware

Ransomware attacks have multiplied tremendously in recent years, along with the rise in popularity of cryptocurrencies. What these do is freeze your network or data without actually causing damage just yet and release it only after you have paid the ransom that the hacker is demanding. But if you refuse to pay the ransom, what usually happens is the hacker will delete all your data from the device that is the hostage.

Botware

A new type of malware that is rapidly becoming quite popular, botware renders your computer immobile by inundating it with denial-of-service attacks. One effect of botware is that it makes your CPU run ceaselessly, causing a noticeable surge in your electricity usage.

Malvertising—A New Type of Malware

Aside from the common malware that we described above, there is also a new type of malware that might be worthy of its own category. This is called “malvertising” today.

Instead of attaching themselves to downloadable programs and such, malvertising piggybacks onto legitimate advertisements. The perpetrators use legit ads to spread malware through auto-redirecting ads. When you come across these redirecting ads, you will find yourself on a phishing website before you know it.

Cybercriminals that use malvertising prefer larger ad networks because they distribute a higher volume of ads. It is very difficult for these networks to keep a very close eye on every single ad they display. That is what the malvertisers are banking on. If no one notices they were able to infiltrate the script of ads and add their encrypted code, they can easily use this to install more dangerous malware into the victim’s network.

Final Thoughts On Malware-

Eradicating malware is an impossibility because there are always new ones being developed. But the good thing is that we can stay protected by being vigilant and prudent in all our online dealings.

If you want to learn more about malware and how to protect your business from it, just give us a call. We can give you a full lecture on online threats, conduct employee training, and bolster your defenses against all kinds of malware. Start your new Employee Training today and have everyone in your office watch our Free Cybersecurity Webinar. It’s a great first step in protecting your data.

Phishing

Quiz Time: How Protected Is Your Business against the Threat of Phishing?

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Have your employees take this simple quiz and find out if they have what it takes to keep your company safe from phishing attacks-

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In the last three weeks, we have been discussing phishing attacks. We have talked about what they are, the different forms they take, the telltale signs of an impending attack, and specific steps you can take to protect your business. Given everything you now know, you should be able to tell if your employees can protect your business.

Having the right information is very important indeed. But often, the level of what you know has nothing to do with how you will react when hypothetical situations become reality. Take your employees, for instance. Let’s say you have trained them repeatedly on how to handle phishing attacks. If you want to find out if they can apply what they have learned, the simplest thing to do would be to test them and have them answer the following questions.

A Brief Quiz on Phishing

The following are some statements that have to do with phishing. Consider each one carefully and identify whether the statement is TRUE or FALSE.

  1. If you feel that you have been a victim of phishing, it is best to keep it to yourself.
  2. Incredible prize offers and deals that appear to be too good to be true are likely to be scams.
  3. Almost 88% of data breaches result from human error.
  4. Cybercriminals collect about $1.5 billion through phishing annually.
  5. Spam messages full of grammar and typo errors have consistently made good business sense for scammers.
  6. Sending millions of emails is an expensive task.
  7. You can protect yourself from phishing by validating emails before reacting to them.
  8. In managing your company’s social media accounts, accepting friend requests from anyone will help you generate more business leads.

Quiz Answers

  1. False

It’s quite surprising to know that a lot of employees feel embarrassed if they feel they have been phished. They probably think that it is their fault and that someone might blame them for exposing the rest of the company to online threats. It is necessary to report any phishing threat to your supervisor and the IT department so that they can take measures to remedy the situation and minimize further risk.

  1. True

Greed is one of the most effective ways to lure people into making poor decisions. If you get an email or text message saying you won something, think twice before clicking the link to claim the prize.

  1. True

It’s alarming to know that this number is increasing every year. The good news is that we can easily prevent these errors with sufficient employee training and education on phishing attacks and other online threats.

  1. False

Unfortunately, the number is even bigger. Phishing scams collect approximately $1.5 trillion dollars every year!

  1. True

Strangely, the poorly written emails that hackers send, which are riddled with all kinds of errors, have worked very well for them for many years.

  1. False

Online criminals can afford to send out email blasts to millions of recipients because it is very cheap for them to do so, costing just a few dollars for the entire batch.

  1. True

Before opening each email, you need to check the email address of the sender. If it’s someone you don’t know or if the domain looks suspicious, it’s best to just ignore the email.

  1. False

It’s tempting to accept friend requests from anyone because the more followers your company has, the better it is for marketing, right? Not necessarily, especially with the rampant online attacks that are going on these days. You should only accept requests from users validated by someone from within your company.

Evaluating the Results

After gathering your employees’ responses to the quiz, you will have a better picture of how they would react in the event of an attack. If they got a perfect score, then your business is in good hands! If the score is not so good, it simply means there is a need for more intensive training, and that is something we can help you with.

We conduct full-scale employee training to protect businesses like yours from phishing and other kinds of online threats. Start your new Employee Training today, and have everyone in your office watch our Free Cybersecurity Webinar.

If you feel you need to boost your defenses, give us a call. We will schedule a free consultation right away to discuss what we can do for your company.

Phishing

Protect Your Business from Phishing Attacks

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Phishing is a severe issue that is becoming worse. Hackers continue to improve their ways even as IT professionals work to develop more effective defenses against online attacks. What should a business owner do? Is it possible to defend your company against these increasingly damaging phishing attacks? Thankfully, there is, and that is what we will discuss today.

It is crucial to have a current security system in place to protect your data and apps. You require a solid firewall, up-to-date antivirus software, a thorough disaster recovery plan, and other security measures. More than this, you can take advantage of the many other highly efficient methods for safeguarding your company from phishing attempts, such as the ones listed below.

Password Policy

A password protects your sensitive data from the spying eyes of hackers. Passwords must be unique and challenging to break. When a user needs to create a new password, impose some restrictions. And change the passwords frequently to remain safe.

It’s best to create secure passwords randomly using a mix of capital and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters. The ones that use the user’s genuine name, birthday, or other publicly available information that can be simple for anyone to figure out are the worst.

Consistent Staff Training

The secret to your data’s security rests in the hands of your staff. Hackers use phishing emails and other communication channels to find a way into your business. A small error could have serious repercussions, including data loss and disruption of corporate operations. If your company regularly trains personnel in cybersecurity best practices, you have an improved chance of preventing such incidents. You can evaluate their understanding of what they learned by having them complete this Employee Readiness Check after each training session.

Device Security on Mobile

Online hazards have increased as remote employment has grown in popularity. Employees put data at risk by accessing it on their laptops, smartphones, or other mobile devices. To help prevent these threats, implementing strict mobile security regulations and effective mobile device management is essential.

Frequently Updated Software

Even the best security programs require periodic updates to remain effective against recent threats. Check to see if your system has the most recent security fixes available.

Superior Security

Many companies avoid using professional cybersecurity services because they believe they are just another unneeded expense and would like to use their own, less expensive security measures. While maintaining a budget is crucial, we always recommend that you invest in a trustworthy cybersecurity solution to protect your company from phishing and several other types of cyber threats.

We can put all these procedures into action for your company as a trustworthy managed service provider that has assisted companies of all sizes for years. Get in touch with us if you wish to strengthen your protection against phishing and other online risks. As a good start to your new Employee Training, have everyone in your office watch our Free Cybersecurity Webinar. We’ll be pleased to provide you with a free consultation, so call us today!

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