Protect yourself and your organisation from phishing attacks by recognising suspicious emails, avoiding unknown links,
and using strong security practices to safeguard sensitive information.
Protecting yourself and your organisation from phishing attacks requires awareness, vigilance, and
proactive security measures. By recognising suspicious emails, avoiding unknown links, using strong passwords,
and enabling multi-factor authentication, you can significantly reduce the risk of data breaches, financial loss,
and reputational damage.
Effective prevention strategies help you stay one step ahead of cybercriminals and maintain the safety of personal
and organisational information. By implementing these practices, you minimise the chances of falling victim to phishing attacks.
New phishing attack methods are constantly evolving. Stay informed and educate users regularly to avoid potential attacks. Check trusted online sources and share updates with users through security awareness training to stay ahead of attackers.
Most browsers allow free add-ons that detect malicious websites and alert you about known phishing sites. Install them on all devices in your organisation.
It is impossible to solely rely on technical measures to prevent phishing attacks, which is why security awareness training is crucial. This training should educate employees on the harm of phishing and empower them to identify and report suspicious attempts. Simulated phishing campaigns can further reinforce the training, allowing organizations to assess their own risk and improve workforce resiliency. It is important to communicate with employees when they click on simulated phishing emails, emphasizing the risks and reminding them how to report suspicious emails. By monitoring the results of these campaigns, organizations can focus on improving their security measures, strengthening training, and implementing additional defenses for phishing protection.
Encourage the use of complex and unique passwords for all accounts, and discourage the sharing of passwords. Implement two-factor authentication on all accounts whenever possible. This provides an extra layer of security by requiring a second verification step.
Receiving numerous update messages can be frustrating, and it can be tempting to put them off or ignore them altogether. Don’t do this. Security patches and updates are released for a reason, most commonly to keep up to date with modern cyber-attack methods by patching holes in security. If you don’t update your browser, you could be at risk of phishing attacks through known vulnerabilities that could have been easily avoided.
Exercise caution when opening emails or clicking links, especially from unknown senders. Avoid unexpected attachments and always hover over links to check the destination. Some phishing sites mimic real websites to steal login or credit card information. When possible, go directly to the site via your browser instead of clicking links.
If the URL of the website doesn’t start with “https”, or you cannot see a closed padlock icon next to the URL, do not enter any sensitive information or download files from that site. Sites without security certificates may not be intended for phishing scams, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Pop-ups aren’t just irritating; they are often linked to malware as part of attempted phishing attacks. Most browsers now allow you to download and install free ad-blocker software that will automatically block most of the malicious pop-ups. If one does manage to evade the ad-blocker though, don’t be tempted to click! Occasionally pop-ups will try and deceive you with where the “Close” button is, so always try and look for an “x” in one of the corners.
If you’ve got online accounts, you should get into the habit of regularly rotating your passwords so that you prevent an attacker from gaining unlimited access. Your accounts may have been compromised without you knowing, so adding that extra layer of protection through password rotation can prevent ongoing attacks and lock out potential attackers.
Use anti-phishing tools and technologies that can detect and block fraudulent websites and emails. Firewalls are an effective way to prevent external attacks, acting as a shield between your computer and an attacker. Both desktop firewalls and network firewalls, when used together, can bolster your security and reduce the chances of a hacker infiltrating your environment.
Check out this video to learn practical ways to stay safe from phishing attacks
and protect your personal and organisational data.
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