The word "phishing" is derived from the word "fishing," as the scammers are trying to lure or hook their victims into divulging their information. So phishing is a type of online scam that involves deceiving people into giving away sensitive information, such as usernames, passwords, credit card numbers, or personal data.
Phishing scams typically involve sending fake emails or messages that appear to be from legitimate sources, such as banks, e-commerce sites, or social media platforms. The emails often contain a sense of urgency or a call to action, encouraging the recipient to click on a link or provide information immediately. The links in the emails often lead to fake websites that look like the real ones, but are actually designed to steal the user's information.
Phishing attacks can also be carried out through phone calls ("vishing") or text messages ("smishing"), as well as through social engineering tactics that involve tricking the victim into revealing sensitive information through conversation or manipulation.
Phishing scams are a serious threat to online security and can result in financial loss, identity theft, and other types of fraud. To protect yourself from phishing attacks, it's important to be cautious of any unsolicited emails or messages, never click on links from unknown or suspicious sources, and always verify the legitimacy of requests for sensitive information.
So how can we prevent for it?
Be cautious of unsolicited emails or messages: Phishing scams often start with a message or email that appears to be from a legitimate source. Be wary of any unsolicited emails or messages that ask for your personal information or request you to click on a link.
Verify the sender's identity: Check the sender's email address or phone number to make sure it matches the one you would expect from the legitimate source. Scammers often use similar email addresses or phone numbers that may appear legitimate but have slight variations.
Look for spelling and grammatical errors: Phishing messages often contain spelling and grammatical errors. Legitimate companies typically proofread their messages and ensure they are written correctly.
Avoid clicking on links: Avoid clicking on any links in unsolicited messages or emails, especially if they request your personal information. Instead, go directly to the company's official website to access your account or to verify any requests.
Use two-factor authentication: Enable two-factor authentication on all your accounts to add an extra layer of security. This will require a second form of verification before you can access your account, even if a scammer has your password.
Keep your software up to date: Keep your software, including your web browser and antivirus software, up to date to ensure you have the latest security patches.
Educate yourself: Stay informed about the latest phishing scams and techniques used by scammers. This will help you recognize potential scams and take the necessary steps to protect yourself. Our sister company Awee inc. are specialized in cybersecurity awareness.
Ironically, one of the thing organization usually do to prevent that is a phishing test, so why is it important to do it, does it work?
Raises employee awareness: Phishing tests can help raise awareness among employees about the risks of phishing scams and educate them on how to recognize and avoid these types of attacks. By providing employees with realistic phishing scenarios, they are more likely to recognize similar scams in the future and be less likely to fall victim to them.
Identifies vulnerabilities: Phishing tests can help identify vulnerabilities in the organization's security measures, such as weak passwords or outdated software, that can be exploited by cybercriminals. By identifying these vulnerabilities, organizations can take steps to improve their security measures and reduce the risk of a security breach.
Provides valuable metrics: Phishing tests can provide valuable metrics that can be used to measure the effectiveness of security awareness training and identify areas that require improvement. By tracking metrics such as the click rate on phishing emails, organizations can gauge the effectiveness of their security awareness training and adjust their programs as needed.
Creates a culture of security: Conducting regular phishing tests can help create a culture of security within the organization, where employees are more aware of the risks of cybercrime and are more likely to take proactive measures to protect themselves and the organization.
In summary, while conducting phishing tests alone may not completely eliminate the risk of a security breach, it can be an effective tool for improving employee awareness, identifying vulnerabilities, providing valuable metrics, and creating a culture of security within the organization. A strong, efficient and long term cybersecurity awareness training is needed to prevent a maximum of breaches due to human error. We can help you with that, contact us to build your cybersecurity training program.