Phishing Attacks – How to Protect Your Business and Users

Phishing attacks are some of the most terrifying cyberthreats a business can face. The frequency and severity of these attacks make them impossible to ignore. So how do you avoid them? Here are some best practices you can implement to protect your business.

Hackers Are Using Phishing Attacks More and More

Phishing attacks have been growing in number and sophistication over recent years. A staggering 76% of businesses have reported that they experienced a phishing attack in 2017.

Employee cybersecurity training alone is not enough to keep up with these attacks. Stronger safeguards like professional-grade firewalls are required to stay safe in today’s cyber landscape.

Phishing Attacks Are Getting More Sophisticated

Phishing attacks have grown in sophistication. One tactic is domain spoofing: using a domain name that can be easily confused with a legitimate site to trick users into trusting its (malicious) contents. Even SSL has been used in hosting cleverly disguised phishing websites to lure victims.

Spear Phishing Attacks Are Also Increasing

Spear phishing, a phishing attack that targets a specific individual, is getting stealthier as well as more prolific. It has become one of the more common methods hackers use to glean sensitive information that cybercriminals can leverage to steal money from businesses. In 2018, 71% of all target attacks started with spear phishing.

Why Phishing Attacks Are Dangerous

These attacks have grown more frequent and have been costing companies millions in damages. Aerospace engine component manufacturer FACC lost $55 million from a spear phishing attack. The loss of data results in staggering financial losses that can be difficult to recover from, particularly for smaller organizations who risk ceasing operations completely.

On top of losing data and money, companies that experience phishing attacks also suffer from damaged reputations. Over 90% of espionage attacks use phishing as the weapon of choice. Staying protected from these evolving threats is critical for businesses of any size.

SMBs Are Especially Vulnerable to Phishing Attacks

Small businesses are especially vulnerable to phishing attacks and typically don’t have the IT resources and expertise needed to guard themselves these attacks proactively. In 2018, 58% of malware attack victims were categorized as small businesses. With 92% of malware delivered by email, it is crucial SMBs take proactive steps to protect their businesses and train employees.

What You Can Do to Protect Your Business and Users

Security solutions and training help reduce the chances of phishing attacks being successful. Employees should be taught to exercise caution when clicking on links. Being able to identify suspicious links is one of the first lines of defense.

Software updates are also important and help keep devices safe from cyberattacks. Additionally, mobile devices and network guests should be separated. There are anti-spam and anti-virus filters included in some next-generation firewalls that can be great tools to protect your business.

Untangle Can Help

Handling cybersecurity concerns like phishing attacks take time and energy away from businesses, but Untangle is here to help. Contact us to learn more about what we can do to protect your business from phishing and other cyberthreats.