Tag Archives: #Technology

Training Employees to Spot Social Engineering

spot social engineering
Cybersecurity, How To, Security, Technology, , , ,

Social engineering is one of the newest methods hackers use to access sensitive information. Rather than attacking a system directly, this technique relies on human psychology to gain information. This method is brilliant when you think about it because it does not have to deal with going past ironclad network security. If hackers can manipulate even a single employee, they might hand over sensitive information on a silver platter, and the hackers can take control of the organization’s entire system. This is why its important for your employees to learn how to spot social engineering.

Companies must understand that if you can’t spot social engineering it can compromise business security. Reports show that over 90% of data breaches happen because of social engineering. Phishing scams account for 54% of these cases. The good news is that there is a way to prevent social engineering threats, and that is by training employees.

Popular Social Engineering Techniques

There is a lot to cover in training employees to spot social engineering. A logical start would be to discuss the most popular techniques so employees can recognize and avoid them.

Phishing is the most common method because it is easy to execute. It also yields positive results, at least for the hackers. This method entails sending emails that deceive victims into clicking a malicious link or divulging sensitive information without realizing it.

Pretexting is when a hacker gains the victim’s trust through a pretext or a created scenario, which is part of a larger, more convoluted social engineering attack plan. There is also the quid pro quo attack, where the hacker lures the victim into divulging information in exchange for something in return. Tailgating, or piggybacking, is a popular social engineering technique where the victim unknowingly gives the hacker access to a secure location.

Importance of Employee Training To Spot Social Engineering

These social engineering strategies would be much easier to execute if employees were untrained and unaware of the risks involved. The damage could be monumental, as the $100 million phishing scam on Google and Facebook illustrates. From 2013 to 2015, a team of hackers sent numerous phishing emails to specific employees of Google and Facebook, telling them to deposit money into fraudulent accounts. They could collect more than $100 million from this scheme.

Now, even if your business does not have that kind of revenue, you can still be a victim. These days, hackers are targeting small businesses on a massive scale. Every employee can also be a target, from customer service personnel to top executives, so you must conduct training across the board.

Best Ways to Train Employees to Spot Social Engineering

There are several methods of training your employees to spot social engineering. Traditional classroom workshops, either personal or online, are excellent for an in-depth training session. A one-time seminar is hardly enough, though, and that is why we also recommend regular refreshers.

Unannounced phishing simulations are effective in evaluating employees based on how much they have learned. It would surprise you how so many people do well in theory but still won’t be able to tell the real deal when it is staring at them from the inbox. Being bitten once in a simulated attack will teach your employees to be more vigilant.

Final Thoughts

Organizations can achieve a high level of protection against social engineering if everyone is sufficiently aware of the risks and knows what to do in case an attack goes through. Besides the various training methods, you will implement, we strongly advise you to download our infographic, “The Top 10 Steps to Take If You Think You Have Been Hacked.” Print it out and post it on every department’s bulletin board. Be sure all your employees also get their own copy.

For more information about social engineering and how to avoid becoming a victim, call us. We can get you up to speed on the latest preventive measures and keep your company safe from the prying eyes of cybercriminals.

Top 8 Phishing Scam Tactics and How to Identify Them

Phishing Scam Tactics
Cybersecurity, How To, Phishing, Security, , , ,

Phishing has been a common hacking method for over two decades now. You would think that everyone would already know how it works and how to avoid becoming a victim, right? Sadly, that is not the case for these Phishing Scam Tactics. There are more victims now than ever. In 2022, there were more than 300,000 victims in the US alone, with damages amounting to over $52 million!

The thing is that phishing scams have evolved over the years. Hackers are now more adept at hoodwinking unsuspecting victims, and they also have easy access to modern technology that helps elevate their phishing tactics.

Top 8 Phishing Scam Tactics

To protect your data and your business, you must build awareness of these scams at all levels of your organization. Here are the top 8 indicators of phishing scam tactics and what to do when you encounter them.

Spoofed Emails

Upon getting an email from a trusted source, many people would open the email without a second thought. Hackers know this and use it for their Phishing Scam Tactics. They make the email look like it came from a reputable source by indicating a trusted sender name, although the email address is not correct. Before opening an email, check that the sender and the address are the same.

Sense of Urgency

Receiving a message that threatens to close your account or bring you legal action can easily cause you to freak out. Because of your panic, you could rashly click on the links as instructed in the email. Of course you would…you don’t want to be sued or go to jail! Stay calm when you receive such emails. Verify the information before taking action.

Malicious Links as a Phishing Scam Tactics

Malicious links are among the oldest phishing methods, but they are still very effective. Sometimes, these links appeal to a person’s natural curiosity, and at other times, they come with the promise of a reward. Either way, it led the unwitting victim to click the link or open the attachment. Again, always check before clicking.

Password Requests

Have you ever received an email from your bank or credit card provider asking for your password or other sensitive data about your account? Never! Legitimate companies do not ask for these kinds of data from clients. In case you get such a request, this is a phishing scam tactics so make sure to block and ignore it. They are almost certainly hackers trying to get into your account.

Misspellings and Poor Grammar

Although many hackers have sharpened their grammar skills by now, many phishing emails are still easily identifiable by wrongly spelled words and typographical errors. Yes, they make you cringe, but these emails can wreak serious havoc on your business. Therefore, you must not even reply or make grammatical corrections.

Personalized Content

It sounds like a legit email if they address you by the correct name and position, right? Hackers are very resourceful. They can get their hands on publicly known information with little effort. They can also access so much more if you engage in their attempts. So before you take any action, make sure to verify the source of the message.

Fake URLs are used in Phishing Scam Tactics

Using fake website URLs is another phishing scam tactic with a very high success rate. Hackers send out emails that look like they came from a trusted source, like a service provider, containing a link to what looks like the actual page of the provider, and they will ask you to log in. Of course, thinking that you are at a legit site, you enter your login details, unknowingly giving them full access to your account.

Unexpected Emails

If you suddenly receive an email out of nowhere that raises an alarm, be immediately wary because this is likely to be a scam. Do nothing they are asking you to do. Don’t even reply. Verify the source of the email to see if it is legit.

Final Thoughts

If anyone in your organization receives any form of these phishing scam tactics, encourage them to speak out so others will be doubly vigilant. If someone thinks someone has already hacked them, it’s not necessarily too late. There are things you can do to minimize the damage. We have outlined the steps in an infographic called “The Top 10 Steps to Take If You Think You Have Been Hacked”. You can download it by clicking right here.

To learn more about protecting your business from phishing scams and improving your company’s cybersecurity, call us. We will be happy to set you up for a free consultation!

The Top 7 Mobile Security Threats to Address in Your BYOD Policy

Mobile Security Threats
Cybersecurity, Data Backup, Security, , , , ,

BYOD or Bring Your Own Device is a modern practice where employees use their personally owned gadgets – smartphones, laptops, tablets, or whatnot – for work. This is opposed to the traditional method of using company-issued equipment exclusively for work stuff which can have mobile security threats.

The BYOD policy has several perks, such as more flexibility in remote work, a healthier balance between work and personal life, and reduced equipment expenses. However, some challenges arise from this practice, particularly in terms of business mobile security threats.

When employees use the same device for all their dealings, this could create several mobile security threats that the company must address in the BYOD policy. Here are seven of the top threats and our recommended solutions.

Mobile Security Threats – Device Theft

In the event of stolen or lost devices, unknown entities could have unauthorized access to sensitive information stored on the device. To guard against these mobile security threats, there must be a way to delete data from the device remotely.

Malware Infection

Malware can quickly lead to a data breach and security problems. Your company can avoid this if all personally owned devices have reliable, updated antivirus software to guard against malware infection.

Unsecured Wi-Fi

Encryption is necessary for maintaining the confidentiality and security of data, so most work and home networks have this. However, public hotspots are common for mobile security threats. If you need to connect to an uncertain network, use a VPN to guarantee data security.

Mobile Security Threats – Phishing

People are more relaxed when using their mobile phones than when they use a company computer. Because of this, many are prone to becoming victims of phishing attacks. Constant reminders would help instill a natural sense of caution in employees.

Outdated Device

Not all employees are gadget fanatics who would immediately fall in line when the newest iPhone is released. Many would stick to their old gadgets until they fell apart. While we might applaud their frugality, outdated devices can put corporate and personal data at high risk with mobile security threats. You can state in your BYOD policy that there must be a mandatory regular upgrade of all devices employees wish to use for work.

Risky Apps

Personal phones and laptops often contain games or other apps that might not be completely secure. These apps sometimes request permissions that could put your device’s contents at risk. To avoid these risks, the BYOD policy must prohibit the installation and use of these unverified apps.

Encrypted Data

When sending digital correspondence from a work computer, all data is automatically encrypted to keep it confidential. Public hotspots and some home networks might not have sufficiently secure levels of encryption, which will compromise your data. Mandatory use of proper encryption before sending out any business data will help prevent such compromises.

Creating Your BYOD Policy to Prevent Mobile Security Threats

If it is your first time drafting a BYOD policy for your company, it can get intimidating, considering all the issues that need to be addressed. For instance, the mobile threats we have listed above are just some of the potential problems you would have to deal with, and we are sure you would think of more as you go along.

To ensure you do not forget any crucial aspect, we strongly recommend you use the BYOD policy template we have created specifically for this purpose. It is a comprehensive but concise document, including everything from permitted devices and security specifications to restrictions and sanctions. Of course, you can customize it as you see fit by adding or removing items to make it appropriate for your organization’s security goals. Call us now if you need additional help!

Why Cybersecurity Insurance Matters

Cybersecurity Insurance
Cybersecurity, Security, Technology, , , , ,

As businesses move forward into a digital environment, cybersecurity insurance becomes even more crucial as online threats grow more advanced. Before, hackers only targeted large, high-revenue corporations since they had the money and the valuable information. But statistics show that over 40% of recent cyberattacks target small businesses. But what’s even more alarming is that only 14% of these small businesses are prepared for such an attack.

Cybersecurity Insurance is a Wise and Necessary Investment

Organizations are already taking more stringent measures to protect their businesses against online threats. Despite these efforts, malware and ransomware can still make their way into your system, and data breaches can still happen. To protect your business from the many ramifications of these attacks, you must invest in a good cybersecurity insurance plan.

While cybersecurity insurance cannot prevent or undo cybercrime, there are many ways that it can help your business recover in case an online attack takes place.

Reduce Financial Setbacks

Dealing with the consequences of a cyberattack can be expensive. Depending on the severity of the attack, it can set your business back by millions of dollars! You will pay for legal services, IT support, damage control, and more. A comprehensive plan can cover all these expenses and much more.

Cover Downtime Losses

Getting your business back on its feet can take a long time, again depending on the gravity of the situation. During rebuilding or while operations are on hold, insurance can tide you over until your business is fully recovered.

Fill the Gap Liability Insurance

When purchasing a general liability insurance plan, many business owners assume that this covers cyberattacks, which is typically not the case. Standard policies might offer coverage to some extent, but it is rarely enough. A separate cybersecurity insurance policy will give you the widest possible coverage to protect your business.

Recovery Assistance

Many cybersecurity insurance plans today offer so much more than just financial help. Many providers offer a complete recovery package that includes legal services, PR damage control, and IT forensics. You can get all these services from separate providers, but why stress yourself when you can get them all in one place?

Competitive Rates for Robust Security

Insurance carriers usually offer very competitive rates to clients with a robust cybersecurity system in place. This is to encourage companies to prioritize cybersecurity and implement better strategies. If you wish to avail discounted rates, it would be a good idea to level up your protection as early as now.

Best Practices for Improving Cybersecurity Insurance

There are many ways to boost cybersecurity in the workplace, as many of us know by now. For starters, you must train your employees regularly, as lack of awareness still ranks at the top of how hackers break into systems. You must also secure your networks, constantly update your anti-malware tools, and implement multi-factor authentication.

Bring Your Own Device Policy

Another excellent way to improve your company’s cybersecurity is to implement a sound Bring Your Own Device or BYOD policy in the workplace. The policy should clearly define the responsibilities of the company and the employee when using their personally owned devices to access company data and other uses of the device within the workplace.

To guarantee that you include all the vital elements in your company’s BYOD policy, you can use our BYOD Policy template, which you can download by clicking right here. You can customize it any way you need to make it align with your organization’s operations and goals.

Final Thoughts on Cybersecurity Insurance

A business needs to do everything necessary to boost cybersecurity. But no matter how strong your defenses might be, one must never be complacent. Investing in a good cybersecurity insurance plan is one of the best things you can do to protect your business. Call us now so we can help you with any questions you may have about cybersecurity insurance.