Businesses are constantly dealing with startling cybersecurity threats and concerns. In recent years, small businesses and large corporate firms have suffered security breaches and data thefts. It is safe to say that hackers and cybercriminals do not discriminate. Among the major threats is phishing. Phishing emails are sent with the intention of luring users into divulging personal information. There has been an unexpected rise in phishing attacks and hacks, especially since the start of Covid-19 pandemic. In this post, we are sharing the top tips on how to protect your business against phishing.
- Train your people. Employees need to know about phishing and social engineering – period. They are on the frontline of maintaining security, and they are expected to deal with fishy, suspicious emails. Unless they are trained on the basics, you cannot expect your teams to perform.
- Consider multifactor verification. This is another way of preventing phishing attacks. Two-factor or multifactor verification just adds a second or third layer of authentication, and that can be a huge advantage in preventing an attack, where the hacker already has access to the password.
- Update software and firmware. Most hackers are just exploiting the existing vulnerabilities in software programs and firmware. Ensure that everything is updated to the latest version, as and when these updates and patches are made available by respective manufacturers.
- Password protection is a must. Many employees do use the same password for a lot of accounts, considering how many different tools they have to use on a regular basis. Ensure that passwords are not repeated, default details are changed, and all passwords are protected using a trusted tool.
- Phishing simulations help. Another great proactive measure is to do phishing simulations. In this case, you are basically sending mock phishing emails, to see how your employees respond. This is a good way to reach out and explain the perils of phishing to all teams.
Also, it helps to have an antivirus software. There are some amazing antimalware programs out there, and some of these have been designed for businesses. There are also email filters available, which can be considered. If your company already has a team of remote workers, which is likely in these pandemic times, you should consider establishing BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) policies. Let your remote workers be in charge of cybersecurity, for which they need to know the dos and don’ts in depth. Take help from experts, if need be, to tackle phishing emails.
