Organizations face a number of challenges staying relevant in today’s digital world, one of which is the prevalence and impact that malware has on their networks. The threat landscape has changed dramatically over the past few years due to developments in technologies that have led to the rise of ransomware, malware, botnets, and other types of cybercrime.
Today, the post-COVID era is a time for organizations to rethink their security practices and fight back against malicious actors. With cyberattacks constantly on the rise, it’s important that businesses learn how they can stay safe in this scary environment.
Phishing Challenges Faced By Businesses During COVID-19
Remote work is on the rise as a result of COVID-19. This has created new opportunities for email fraud schemes like phishing and spam emails, which prey upon people’s reliance on communication via email – perfect conditions for cybercriminals.
It’s important to know that cybercriminals are taking advantage of the pandemic by using widespread awareness of the subject as a way to trick users into revealing their personal information or clicking on malicious links or attachments, unwittingly downloading malware onto their computers. They may even impersonate government organizations, ministries of health, centers for public health and other key figures in order to disguise themselves as reliable sources, so they can better access your data.
How Do These Scammers Operate?
Criminals are using your fear of the coronavirus to trick you into downloading their malware onto your device. If you receive a message that seems urgent and claims it contains information about the virus, beware! You might be downloading Trojans or keyloggers which can allow criminals easy access to all sorts of personal data on your computer – including bank account passwords, credit card numbers, social security numbers… The list goes on.
Consequences of Phishing Attacks on Businesses
Losing Customers After the Attack: The higher percentage of customers lost, the more money you can potentially lose.
Loss of Consumer Confidence: When a breach occurs, many companies only realize this has happened when their sales start to plummet. Their previous clients and even your prospects become afraid of buying from them because they don’t know if the company is safe anymore.
Business Continuity: The attack on your company is costing you money every day, and the process of recovery will be a long one.
How Can Businesses Stay Safe Against Phishing Attacks?
Cybersecurity is a top priority for business leaders in the new work environments. In this time when cyber criminals are getting more sophisticated, it’s important that employees see their companies taking good care of them by setting clear expectations on how to manage risk and empowering them with best practices at every level of management. This is what businesses can do:
Learn What Are the Threats to Your Organization
With more and more employees working from home, businesses should work with their security teams to identify likely attack vectors. This is the only way they can prioritize protection of sensitive information that could be at risk for a cyber-attack.
Encourage Communication and Guidance
Employees should be empowered to create a secure environment for working from home. They must ensure policies are clear with instructions on how employees can contact internal security teams if they experience any suspicious activities.
Deploying Email Security Services
Phishing emails will take advantage of your clicking blind spots, and it’s up to you as a business owner or manager to defend yourself against them. A security-focused email service is the best way for any company with an online presence–no matter what size–to avoid being exploited by these scams.
Think Before Clicking
There is no question that COVID-19 impacts digital security and can cause some anxiety for those who are not IT professionals. Phishing scams use fear to exploit the uncertainty of people, so it’s important to be cautious with unknown links or attachments. If you’re unsure about an email sent by a friend or company, don’t click on any link in the message and take time before opening any attachment.
Beware of typos and weird language used in the message. If you are not sure if it is an authentic email, try to find out from your organization’s website rather than opening any attachments that were sent with the email.
Implement Security Awareness Training
Employees should be mindful of the different patterns in phishing emails. When they see one, it is best to react quickly! Understanding how vulnerable each staff member might be helps a company work with them accordingly on training that will help keep their security safe while also protecting their own accounts as well.
To Conclude
Phishing attacks are a serious risk to any company’s business. Businesses need to be aware of these potential threats and take the necessary steps in order to safeguard their data, customer information and reputation from those who wish them harm. Visit Duocircle today if you’re interested in learning more about our offerings or want to see how we can help your organization remain safe and relevant in this post-Covid Age.
