5 RED FLAGS OF PHISHING EMAILS: STOP BEFORE YOU CLICK

A single click can mean the difference between data security and significant financial damages. Your company is subject to data breaches and extended downtime the moment even one person falls for the bait in a phishing email.

Recognize the warning signs and stop phishing emails in their tracks:

Poor Grammar and Spelling

While even the best of us make mistakes from time to time, an email riddled with errors is a glaring red flag. Most businesses run their ads through numerous levels of review, where errors are scoured, and language is polished. Unfortunately, the presence of improbable errors throughout the communication indicates that the same amount of care was not exercised. So the message is most likely garbage.

The Offer Is Too Good To Be True

Free products or a lottery win seem nice, but what if the offer appears out of nowhere and comes with no strings attached? There are certainly grounds for concern. So take caution not to get carried away and click without conducting a thorough investigation.

Random Sender That Knows Too Much

In recent years, phishing has evolved to include 'spear phishing,' an email or offer explicitly tailored to your company. Culprits exploit information obtained from your public channels, such as a recent function or award, against you. The only hints? The sender is unknown — they were not present or involved in any way with the incident. Take time to verify to determine if their story is correct.

The Url Or Email Address Is Not Quite Right

Using domains that seem almost right is one of the most effective phishing email methods. Like [microsoft.info.com] or [pay-pal.com]] are two examples

Hover your cursor over the link to see where it will take you. Then, send that email to the trash if it doesn't appear right or differs significantly from the link text.

Email Asks For Personal, Financial, Or Business Details

Alarm bells should go off when a message involves personal, business, or financial information. Launch an investigation through established, trusted methods if you believe there is a severe problem.

Conclusion

While education is the most effective strategy to prevent phishing emails, a strong spam filter and anti-virus system offer peace of mind that your company is protected to the greatest extent possible.

Want to get a head start? Grab a copy of [The Devil You Know: Insider Threats to Business Cyber Security. It gets you started by sharing essential information you need to detect and prevent insider threats.

Would you like to discuss ITSM processes and IT policies to improve your IT service operations and security? Feel free to reach out, and we can do a Rhino Walk-N-Talk to start finding solutions.