Cybercrime has been on the rise since the world went home to wait out COVID. Lockdown saw businesses scrambling to secure data as employees began to connect to previously secure networks from personal devices, and cloud-based collaboration and workplace tools became an unavoidable necessity of staying in business.
It took more than a sec for organisations to catch up with the sudden boom in cyberattacks. We all remember some of the big, headline-making data breaches in the last 3 years – Zoom in April 2020 (we’d all just registered, too!), Facebook in April 2021, LinkedIn in July 2021, Microsoft “SolarWinds” in December 2020 and, most recently, Microsoft “BlueBleed” in December 2022. These kinds of data breaches are worrisome because 31% of data breach victims later experience identity theft , according to Experian, and financial losses resulting from fraud rose 77% from 2021 to 2022.
As tech giants become more sophisticated in protecting personal information, so cybercriminals get more sophisticated in breaching security. And vice versa, like a tango but without the meaningful eye contact. Phishing is one of the oldest tricks in the book. And it still works. Not just on your gran, either.
This is because phishing scams target people like you and me. We are the human firewall – the frontline in protecting our own personal information. And we’re not actually very good at it, as this article on identity management shows. While headline-grabbing breaches give us a place to point a finger, we need to do better at keeping ourselves safe, too.
Here are five ways you can avoid becoming a big phish:
1.Be sceptical of unsolicited emails or SMSs – phishing scams use fake emails, text messages or websites to trick you into sharing your information. And it’s not just that Nigerian Prince you shouldn’t trust. Phishing attacks masquerade – convincingly – as legitimate sources like banks and government agencies. Your bank has probably texted or emailed you a couple of times to tell you they will never text or email you a link to change your banking details or password. And they won’t, so don’t fall for it.
2.Don’t click on links or download attachments from unknown sources – links can land you on authentic-looking webpages designed to capture your personal information, important passwords like the one for your banking app and plenty of other details that can later be used to gain access to your accounts through call centres. That cute kitten video you just got from someone you’ve never heard of can contain malware, spyware or other malicious software that will auto-install when you open it and steal your information, all in the name of gaining access to – you guessed it – your bank account.
3.Use anti-virus and anti-phishing software – technology, and AI in particular, is better at spotting phishy communication than you are.
4.Keep your mobile devices and computer updated – Because of that tango we talked about earlier, updates push the latest in security measures to your devices.
5.Use strong, unique passwords and enable two-factor authentication – Don’t be one of the 33% of users who use the same password every time. It’s just not safe.
If you keep yourself safe online as an individual, it can help to keep your business or employer safe, too. For businesses, a strong cybersecurity risk management framework can be a great strategy to fend against cyber threats when used in conjunction with modern information technology and artificial intelligence. If you need help to beef-up your cybersecurity and avoid phishing, let the team at Kellerman help!
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