Email Phishing has been around for quite some time. Since the early days of the Internet, it poses a threat to everyone with an email address. This form of cybercrime attacks in many ways; from unsolicited emails and unauthorized ads to flash sale offers. This is an issue that will continue to get worse, as the advancement of technology will allow their attacks to be more discreet and sophisticated.
Individuals must learn how to protect themselves from a potential attack. With that said, here are four ways to prevent yourself from falling victim to spear phishing:
Keep your system and software up-to-date
Your baseline OS should have preventative measures against phishing, especially older ones. It’s imperative that you always keep your system updated; this will ensure that you don’t expose yourself to basic risks. If you’re still using Windows XP, you are a prime target for spear phishers.
Encrypt your data
Encryption acts as a bubble protecting your sensitive information; only allowing it to be deciphered once it has reached its target destination. This helps your confidential information, such as credit card details, personal information, and addresses, from being leaked somewhere along the way. By encrypting private files, data will be protected even if it were to be intercepted. One wrong move can ruin your reputation for years to come, so it’s crucial that you don’t let your guard down.
Listed below are the source files that you should install encryption software for:
- Workplace network
- Office hard drives
- Cloud storage
- Passwords and security information
- Internet browsing activity and history (using a VPN or masked IP address)
- External storage (USB drives and external hard drives)
Use DMARC technology
Spoofing an email is not very difficult to do. It consists of sending an email from a trusted source or friend. Receiving an email from your boss or co-worker is also common practice for spear phishers. Think about it, your boss sending you a file is not that suspicious. Open it, and well, now you’ve been comprised. It isn’t hard for these hackers to get a hold of your boss’ or a co-worker’s email; that is why you must always be vigilant.
This is a real threat that your company is subject to; which is why it’s so important to implement a DMARC protection plan. DMARC (Domain-Based Message Authentication, Reporting, & Conformance) is a technology designed to identify whether an email has been sent from a credible source that can be trusted. If the email doesn’t pass the initial check, it will be reported to the security team so that they can deal with the threat.
Implement Multi-Factor Authentication
Multi-factor authentication is similar to DMARC, but it adds more layers of protection to ensure that the incoming emails are protected before your employees have access to them. The MFA system uses tools such as randomly generated pin codes or tokens that will make it difficult for hackers to sabotage your system by means of phishing.
Additionally, there is an automatic employee password recycling system that changes their passwords are regularly. This way, you can be confident that hackers cannot gain access to your network through emails left on other sites.
If you’re looking to put preventative spear phishing measures in place for your company, MicroAge is the best solution. Get in touch with us today to see how we can help.
3 Components of an Effective Data Recovery Plan
You’ve probably got a data recovery plan in place; most companies do. However, do you enforce that plan so that it can actually deliver,…
How to Counter Internal Cybersecurity Risks
If you ask people about cybersecurity, they will probably start talking about hackers breaking into a company’s computers from hundreds of miles away. However,…
How to keep your files safe from CryptoJoker
A new form of ransomware called CryptoJoker was discovered in January 2016. It uses the AES-256 algorithm to encrypt victims’ files and then demands a…
5 Ways a Managed Services Provider Can Make Your Life Easier
Managed services providers (MSPs) are lifesavers for business owners and executives to manage their IT equipment and services. Among many other things, MSPs update software,…
3 IT Areas Where Your Business Might Need Help
Outsourcing operations to IT service providers is common among small and midsize businesses (SMBs), according to a CompTIA survey. More than 70 percent of the 500…