Stop Phishing From Stopping Your Business

Employee Training:

Conduct regular training sessions to educate your staff about email phishing, its risks, and common red flags.

Teach employees about the importance of verifying the source of emails, recognizing suspicious links or attachments, and reporting potential phishing attempts.

Check out our pro tips for team training.

Strong Password Policies:

Establish a strong password policy that requires employees to create complex passwords and change them regularly.

Two-Factor Authentication (2FA):

Enable and encourage the use of two-factor authentication for all email accounts and other relevant systems.

Implement a reliable 2FA solution that adds an extra layer of security.

Email Filtering and Security:

Utilize email filtering services or software that can detect and block potential phishing emails before they reach employees’ inboxes.

Regularly update and maintain antivirus and anti-malware software on all devices used for business purposes.

URL and Link Checking:

Train employees to hover over hyperlinks in emails to reveal the actual destination URL before clicking.

Discourage employees from clicking on suspicious links or URLs received via email, especially from unknown or untrusted sources.

Email Sender Verification:

Advise employees to verify the sender’s email address and domain before responding to or acting on any email requests.

Look out for misspellings, unusual email addresses, or suspicious domain names that may indicate a phishing attempt.

Reporting Phishing Attempts:

Establish clear guidelines for reporting suspected phishing emails. If you don’t have an IT team (let’s face it, many small businesses don’t!) then establish a plan to report fraud attempts to the Federal Trade Commission at FTC.gov/Complaint.

Regular Security Updates:

Ensure that all software, operating systems, and applications are regularly updated with the latest security patches and fixes.

Regularly update and maintain firewalls and intrusion detection systems to protect against new threats.

Continuous Monitoring:

Implement monitoring systems that can detect and alert you to potential phishing attempts or suspicious activities.

Regularly review logs and conduct audits to identify any security gaps or patterns of phishing attempts.

Stay Informed:

Keep up-to-date with the latest phishing trends, techniques, and best practices.

Follow security blogs, news updates, and industry forums to stay informed about emerging threats. Hint: we suggest following us on social media so that you read up on the newest scams as we report on them.

Ongoing Communication:

Foster a culture of open communication regarding cybersecurity within your organization.

Regularly remind employees about the importance of email security and provide updates on recent phishing attempts or new tactics.

Remember, prevention is key, but it’s essential to have an incident response plan in place as well. In the event of a successful phishing attack, your team should know how to respond promptly and effectively to minimize any potential damage.

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The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual.