SpartanTec, Inc. Wilmington: phishing Wilmington NC

Tuesday, December 22, 2020

Phishing Scams During Christmas

Email security is the last thing on your mind during the holiday season. However, cybercriminals will exploit this time of year and use it to their advantage. Just as Santa makes his way down your chimney, they use cunning ways to victimize you and it’ll be too late once you realize that you’ve become one of their preys.

What makes an organization vulnerable during this season? A lot of phishing emails look are disguised as legitimate emails from retail companies, banks, and parcel services. They contain links to real looking but fake websites that contain infected links or ask for your personal details.

When your staff gets distracted about the parcels that they’re about to receive, they have higher risks of clicking and downloading links that are infected. A lot of offices operate with a skeleton staff or relief/casual staff, so in case they are not savvy to these cyber scams or you do not have any top quality cybersecurity set in place, there’s a huge chance that these kinds of emails will cause damages to your company.

Why are there a lot of Christmas phishing Wilmington NC scams? There are advanced phishing scams that will take more than a week or even months to detect that you’ve been victimized. You may not even know that you downloaded an infected file until it’s too late and your personal or financial information was already stolen and the damage has been done.

Cybersecurity Tips You Need To Know

Data backup is crucial. You have to do this every day.
Make sure that the operating systems and all applications are updated.
Set up a multi-layered defence program such as web filtering services, cloud based email, anti-spyware, anti-malware, and anti-virus systems.
Your staff computers must have firewall installed. You should also increase the security settings on all internet browsers.
The use of iPhones, iPads, USBs and other external devices that are not approved by the company should be limited.
Always be vigilant especially when sharing your information online.
Never click on unsolicited emails containing executable files such as .exe or .zip files.
Keep in mind that a reputable business won’t send an email asking for your personal or financial information.

SpartanTec, Inc. is committed to making sure that your workplace is safe from cybersecurity threats like phishing emails. Call us now.

SpartanTec, Inc.
Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
(843) 420-9760
https://www.spartantec.com/

SpartanTec, Inc.
Wilmington, NC 28412
(910) 218-9255
http://manageditserviceswilmington.com

Serving: Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Columbia, Wilmington, Fayetteville, Florence

Tuesday, August 18, 2020

What Is A Phishing Attack?

Phishing is a kind of social engineering attack that is commonly used to steal user information including credit card numbers and login credentials. It takes place when an attacker, pretending to be a trusted entity, fools someone into opening a text message, instant message, or an email. The recipient is then duped into clicking a malicious link that can result into the installation of malware, revealing sensitive information, or freezing the device as of the ransomware attack.

An attack could have devastating consequences like identity theft, stealing of funds, or unauthorized purchases.

Aside from that, phishing Wilmington NC is commonly used to obtain a foothold in governmental or corporate networks as a part of wide scale attack like an APT or advanced persistent threat. In the last situation, employees are then compromised to bypass the security protocols that have been set up, spread the malware within a closed environment, or obtain access to sensitive data.

A company that succumbs to this type of cyberattack generally suffers severe financial losses apart from declining reputation, consumer trust, and market share. Depending on the attack’s scope, a phishing incident may turn into a security incident from which a company will have a hard time recovering.

Examples of Phishing Attacks

Spoofed email from myuniversity.edu that’s distributed widely to countless faculty members
Emails claiming that the user’s password is set to expire

Phishing Techniques

Email Phishing Scams – is considered to be a numbers game wherein the attacker sends thousands of fake messages. Doing so allows them to get significant information and cash, even if only a few people fall victim to the phishing scam. Attackers will try to replicate actual emails from a spoofed company. They will use the same typefaces, phrasing, logos, and signatures to make messages look legitimate.
Spear Phishing – this technique targets a specific technique or person, unlike random application users. It is a more comprehensive version of phishing that needs special knowledge regarding an organization like its power structure.

How To Prevent Phishing

Both users and enterprises need to take steps in order to protect themselves from phishing attacks. Users need to be vigilant. A spoofed message commonly contains subtle mistakes that will expose its real identity. These may include changes to the domain names and spelling mistakes. Users must also stop and think twice about why they are getting such an email. For companies, there are some steps they can take to mitigate the risks of facing phishing and spear phishing attacks.

2FA or Two factor authentication – it is considered to be the most effective method when it comes to mitigating phishing attacks. It also adds another layer of verification when logging into confidential applications. 2FA depends on users to have two crucial things. The password and username as well as their smartphones. Even if employees are compromised, 2FA stops the use of the credentials that have been compromised, because these are not enough to get access.
Apart from using 2FA, companies must set in place strict password management policies.
Educational campaigns could also help reduce the threat of phishing attacks by make sure that secure practices.

Call SpartanTec, Inc. now and let our team assist you in securing your emails. Our IT experts will set up the most effective email security measures to mitigate risks of phishing attacks.