Phishing emails and attacks have been on the rise, with recent studies showing 611,877 phishing sites on the internet. Businesses need a savvy approach when it comes to defending against phishing email attacks. Especially when you consider phishing is frequently used to launch ransomware assaults, which can force businesses to pay out large sums of money.
If employees click on the wrong thing in the wrong email, the entire company could suffer a ransomware or other malware attack that could have serious financial and reputational consequences. In this blog, we will outline how to better defend against phishing emails and improve your security posture.
What Are Phishing Emails?
Before we discuss how to defend against phishing emails, let’s talk about what they are. A phishing email is one that’s designed to trick someone into revealing sensitive information by either clicking a link to a phishing site or communicating with a bad actor trying to steal their identity or financial data.
These emails are particularly dangerous for businesses and employees because they can contain links to sites that look like they belong to a trusted company or are disguised as emails from someone within your organization. In some phishing campaigns, the email contains either malware or a link to a site with malware embedded in it. This can infect not only the computer of the employee who clicks on it but also all those connected to your organization’s network.
How to Recognize a Phishing Email
To distinguish a phishing email from a legitimate one, look for signs such as:
- A generic, un-specific greeting
- A from email address that doesn’t belong to the company the sender is supposed to represent
- Requests to disclose personal or sensitive information
- Hyperlinks that look like they lead to one place but, instead, have a different address when you hover over or long-tap them
- Unexpected attachments
- Grammatical mistakes
Stop Phishing Emails With Email Security
By using endpoint security and user security technology like Managed Inbox Detection and Response, you can better protect your endpoints and infrastructure by enabling employees to make smarter security decisions. Each user can submit suspicious emails for analysis, which empowers them to identify threats and be part of the organization’s security strategy. Plus, your business is able to intercept phishing emails and stay one step ahead of attackers.
Stay Vigilant Against Phishing Email Threats
Security awareness training is one of the best ways to protect your organization against phishing emails. By training employees, you can better equip them to pinpoint potential threats and take appropriate action. Continuous training is needed to protect against evolving phishing email attacks. If you’re only training once or twice a year, it’s time to reevaluate what you’re doing.
Safeguard Against Phishing Emails with Cyber Insurance
Cyber insurance helps you get back on your feet if you become a victim of identity theft and is considered a critical part of cybersecurity protection and prevention. Although a separate policy outside of standard general liability, it is invaluable if you succumb to a phishing email. But to get covered under cyber insurance in today’s market, you need to have the proper cybersecurity measures. Start by taking our free risk assessment to see how you stack up.
TPx can help boost your cybersecurity and protect you against phishing emails and other emerging cyberattacks. Learn more about how to protect your business in our comprehensive guide to cybersecurity.