Think Twice When Receiving Urgent Messaging
One of the biggest risks to the security of your company is through phishing schemes. Here’s why you should think twice when receiving urgent messaging. It could save your network.
A staggering 83% of businesses report successful phishing attacks against them last year. Statistically, only a third of phishing emails are ever opened. However, the chances of someone from your company falling for one of these schemes is high.
But to make things even more challenging, cybercriminals have adapted the ransomware approach of scaring victims so they take immediate action and disclose login information.
Question “Urgent” Messaging
This new “panic” type of phishing attack starts off like most others do.
You receive an email letting you know that your account may be subject to suspicious activity. It can say a login attempt has ben banned because it was make from a different device or location.
You’ll be prompted to click the link to verify your account. Side note: DO NOT CLICK THE LINK
These emails worry users enough. It makes them paranoid and causes them to not think rationally in that moment.
What’s worse, a lot of these phishing emails begin a countdown. You are told you have a specific amount of time to verify your account before it is deleted indefinitely.
The worry that your account might get deleted is the exact emotion these criminals are attempting to pull to you.
If you are worry or are fearful, you’re more likely to make the mistake of clicking the link.
In actuality, nothing will happen once the countdown reaches zero. However, being aware of the passing seconds might give you the feeling of urgency that prevents you from double-checking an email’s legitimacy.
The link will take you to a fake webpage to input your information. Once you do, these criminals use your login to access your account. This is a serious issue you never want your business to have to deal with.
Entering this link will put you at risk of identity theft, financial loss, or malware. It also puts your other accounts at risk if you use the same password for them.
What’s worse, your login information could be selling on the dark web, allowing potentially worse cybercriminals to access your account.
Fundamental Phishing Defenses
Verify the Email Address
Any time you receive an irregular email, make sure to look at the email address. Verify the accuracy of the spelling and language. Even hover over the links to check the URL they are attempting to take you to. It is exactly why you should think twice when receiving urgent messaging.
If you even sense you could have fallen for a scam, its crucial you update your login information immediately. Whatever you do, do not click the link.
Install a Password Manager
We would also advise you to employ a password manager. For every account you have, this program will generate lengthy, strong and random passwords that are very hard to decipher.
As an IT Service in Los Angeles, we recommend to clients all the time to use the password manager Keeper. They are one of the most secure in the world and significantly improve password safety.
The program will save your passwords, autofill login fields (which saves you time. The best part, they have the ability to recognize when information is being asked to enter on a different page, like a phishing site.
Spread the Word
Do yourself and your business a favor by sharing it with all your employees and co-workers. It only takes one mistake to fall for a phishing scheme. If users know what to look out for, they’ll think twice when receiving urgent messaging.
Dark Web Scan
If you want to know if your businesses information is selling on the Dark Web, email us at hello@stginfotech.com! We would be happy to run a complimentary Dark Web Scan to put your mind at ease. We are a security certified IT consulting Los Angeles group.
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