A majority of hackers worldwide have adopted one of the most dangerous attack techniques known to date in the world of cyber security – spear phishing!
Did you know that spear phishing is the attack method used in 91% of cyber-attacks?
Spear phishing attacks differ from the more common phishing attack by targeting a subset of people, usually employees of the organization, visitors of a particular website or members of an association.
What is the purpose of these attacks?
Like all phishing attacks, the primary objective of a spear phishing attack is to collect sensitive data and personal information to be used later in further attacks against the victims.
How does spear phishing work?
In the form of familiarity, an email arrives first, that is apparently from a trustworthy source, but instead leads the unknowing recipient to a fake website that is loaded with malware or perhaps just an authentic-looking form to collect information. These emails will often use clever tactics to grab the victim’s attention.
The truth of the matter is that if organizations just continue to maintain yesterday’s general levels of security, criminals will continue to leverage spear phishing even more. For organizations to successfully combat these advanced targeted attacks, they need next-generation threat protection that protects across multiple threat vectors and target areas and addresses every stage of an attack.
How to stop it!
Ready to feel more at ease knowing your livelihood is more protected at its core? Here are some simple and useful tips to prevent spear phishing and stop it in its tracks:
- Create and implement a cybersecurity policy with procedures.
- User education – strong passwords with letters, numbers, symbols, and phrases.
- Identifying the most common traits of spam, and phishing attacks.
- Use a hardware firewall at all times! It is your first line of defense!
- Implement network based and endpoint (your computer) based security.
- Develop strategic backup policies and procedures.
- Treat every cyber incident as potentially malicious until it is determined
- Be mindful of suspicious emails. They are getting even more clever than ever.
More importantly, you should always remember not to give up too much personal information online, as you never know who might try to use it against you, or how. NEVER put your account info or personal info into a form or page you are not 100% certain you know.
By partnering with Onserve, you can put your mind at ease knowing that we provide you with proven security solutions that not only work but they also keep your company safe from data breaches and other cyber risks. We’ll work with you and your employees to provide you with the most reliable and best practices in staying protected and secure while being online!
Call us at (877) 996-6622 or send us an email to sales@onserve.ca and discover how our Managed IT services can help ensure your valuable company data is secure and protected from all possible cyber threats.