Cybersecurity Experts Share Signs Which Might Indicate a Phishing Attack on Your Business

Technology 27 July 2022 By

According to recent studies, 4 out of 10 UK businesses reported suffering a cybersecurity breach in 2021, and the average (mean) cost of each attack is estimated at £13,400. With these stats in mind, Gildas Jones, founder of Dial A Geek, discusses the most common cybersecurity threats to businesses and highlights the rising prevalence of scams.

The most common cybersecurity breaches include password breaches and phishing attempts (including the use of malware). Phishing is social engineering that manipulates users into revealing personal and confidential information, and recently there have been considerable increases in these attacks (now the most effective threat). A few examples of phishing red flags include:

  • Random emails from people you don’t know.
  • Emails asking you to send payments to a new bank account.
  • Emails asking you to change your password without you reset it.
  • Emails asking you to sign in to profiles.

The use of malware, an umbrella term including viruses, trojans, worms, ransomware, and spyware, is also an issue within phishing. An example of a malware red flag includes receiving suspicious emails with email attachments. This can also be an issue when downloading files from suspicious websites or using outdated computer systems.

With these threats in mind, Gildas also shared 10 tips for keeping your business’ online profiles safe from predators. These include:

  • Setting robust passwords.
  • Using password managers.
  • Using multifactor authentication (MFA).
  • Using antivirus software.
  • Staff training.
  • Using firewalls.
  • Having access control (and conditional access control).
  • Limiting the number of Administrator-level accounts.
  • Implementing single sign-on (SSO).
  • Running necessary updates.

Gildas Jones, the founder of Dial A Geek, commented: ‘Recent years have started, or accelerated, some key trends in business worldwide, and there are five trends we’re seeing now that we believe will be ongoing features of the workplace of the future. These include digital transformation, social and environmental responsibility, cybersecurity, remote working, and productivity.’

‘According to recent studies, only 15% of users know how to protect themselves from cybercrime. With this shocking stat in mind, we wanted to give businesses some actionable advice on keeping their online profiles safe from predators.’

‘At Dial A Geek, our mission is to help businesses grow with our managed services; if you have 10 or more employees and need a trusted partner to manage your IT systems, protect your data, assist you in compliance, and help you grow your business, contact us today.’