A Guide to Phishing

Our recent research on mid-market IT priorities shows time and time again that data privacy is the top priority for most businesses. One of the very real and complex threats impacting these businesses is called phishing.

HOW TO PREVENT PHISHING ATTACKS

Phishing is an online form of fraud that can pose a great threat to your data if you’re unaware of how to identify it and protect yourself against it. This form of fraud happens when messages are received from a seemingly known and trustworthy company, but are actually scammers attempting to reveal vulnerable data, such as personal information and credit card details.

Some initial tips on how to prevent phishing attacks are as follows:

  • Be cautious of suspicious emails: Phishing emails usually contain urgent or threatening language, prompting you to take action quickly. They often ask you to click on a link or download an attachment. Be wary of emails such as this, and avoid clicking on any links or downloading attachments unless you’re sure they’re safe.
  • Look for SSL certificates: When visiting websites that require you to enter sensitive information, look for the padlock icon at the top of your screen and “https” in the URL. These indicate that the site has an SSL certificate, which helps to secure the connection between your browser and the website.
  • Keep your software up to date: Software updates often include the latest security patches that protect your computer from vulnerabilities that phishers can exploit.
  • Educate yourself and others: Share any information you learn to protect against phishing attacks with others – this can help them to recognise and avoid any phishing attempts.

If you want to understand what phishing is in more detail, and learn how to protect you and your business against it, download our guide to phishing to find out more.

IMPROVING YOUR SECURITY WITH NODE4

Phishing attacks can be detrimental to a business if measures aren’t taken to educate and protect against potential threats. Loss of intellectual property, identity theft and financial loss are all potential outcomes of a phishing attack and are not to be taken lightly.

Taking the necessary steps to increase your staff’s awareness of these attacks, in addition to increasing your data protection as a whole, is essential to keep your sensitive information safe. 

If you’re looking to improve the security of your data and make potential breaches a thing of the past, Node4’s data security management service will provide you with vital peace of mind. With our consultancy services, threat detection and next-generation protection technology, you can operate safely in the knowledge that your digital borders are secure.

GET IN TOUCH

If you’re interested in using our security services or if you have any other enquiries, get in touch with us today at info@node4.co.uk or 0345 123 2222. Our specialists will be happy to help with any queries you may have.

Download our guide today!