Phishing attempts are serious threats to organizations, resulting in financial loss and data breaches. The results can be severe if employees ignore the warning signs of these scams. Your company’s reputation can be at risk as well as sensitive information could be compromised. You need to understand these threats and take action quickly to protect your business.
In this article, you will learn what is a common indicator of a phishing attempt, 8 common indicators to find out these phishing attacks easily, and simple steps to help protect your organization from phishing threats. Let’s dive in!
What is Phishing?
Phishing is a type of cyber-attack in which scammers try to mislead you by collecting sensitive information such as passwords, credit card numbers, or personal details. They normally do this by sending fake emails, and messages or creating fake websites that look real. These phishing attempts may pretend to be well-known companies or trusted people to gain your trust.
Once you click on a harmful link or enter your information, the attackers can steal your data and potentially harm the organization’s security. The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) reports that phishing is one of the most common cybercrimes, with losses exceeding $10.3 billion in 2022.
It’s important to know what phishing is and how it works, to keep your workplace safe. If you know the signs of phishing attacks, you will be well-equipped to help protect yourself and your team from these scams.
8 Common Indicators of a Phishing Attempt
1. Suspicious URLs
The first common indicator of a phishing attempt to look for when you receive a link in an email or message is the URL. More phishing attackers use URLs that look very similar to domains of real websites with small variations. In other words, they can use extra letters, end domains in different ways, or even include a misspelling. Hover over the link but don’t click to see the actual URL.
If the URL seems odd or doesn’t match the expected website, it is a red flag. Scammers create these fake links to trick you into believing you are visiting a trusted site. Even popular companies can be used in fake website links. For instance, a scam email may seem to come from a trusted service, but the link may lead you to some other site.
When you enter your information on these sites, you could unknowingly give it directly to the scammers. This is why staying alert about URLs is crucial. And do a little extra research if necessary. This quick step can help you avoid phishing scams.
2. Unfamiliar Sender Email Address
When you receive an email, the sender’s address should always be one common indicator of a phishing attempt. Phishing attacks often come from unfamiliar addresses that you don’t recognize. The sender’s address should always be your first clue when you receive an email. Phishing attempts usually come from unknown addresses that you don’t know.
While these emails can look like addresses of a trusted source, they often differ by just an extra letter or a dissimilar domain. Always double-check the sender when you respond or click anything. If the email says it’s from a company you know, but the address is odd, be careful. Email addresses can be created by scammers that are similar to real ones.
For instance, if the email address is “@bank-secure.com,” rather than “@bank.com.” This is called spoofing, and it’s not easy to spot if you’re not paying attention. Additionally, even if the sender’s name looks familiar, the email address might give it away. Phishing emails often use names you recognize to try to make you think that you know the person.
3. Urgent or Threatening Language
Phishing attempts use language that is often urgent or threatening, to provoke rapid response. You may receive emails that state your account will be suspended unless you act immediately. The idea here is to get you to click on links or give up sensitive information without thinking. When you read an email that conveys a sense of urgency, take a step back. Real companies typically won’t pressure you in this way. They will give you time to react and seek out any problems.
If an email makes you feel rushed or scared, it’s a good idea to stop and think about whether it’s real. This is how scammers do it because they know if you are in a hurry, you are less likely to read the message carefully. You may miss signs that it’s a phishing attempt.
4. Poor Grammar and Spelling Mistakes
The other common indicator of a phishing attempt is bad grammar and spelling mistakes. Phishing emails are often awkward in phrasing, wrong in punctuation, and misspelled. That is a sign the message you received was not from a professional. Real organizations usually take care to proofread their communications.
If you see grammatical errors or typos in the email, it’s a red flag. These mistakes can also be made by scammers who aren’t fluent in the language. If the message looks unprofessional or poorly written, it’s a pretty good sign that it’s a phishing attempt. Your email may seem off in terms of the tone of the email. Phishing messages usually don’t have the formal tone you would expect from a reputable company.
5. Requests for Personal Information
Phishing emails tend to ask for personal or financial information and that should always set off alarms. Usually, companies don’t ask for sensitive data such as passwords or bank details through email. If you receive a message requesting this kind of information, be very cautious. These requests could be made as urgent or important to worry about how your account is at risk.
But remember, reputable organizations won’t use this method to collect sensitive information. If an email asks you to provide personal data, it’s likely a phishing attempt. Scammers can make messages that look like real companies, with real style and branding. If you are ever in doubt, it’s safer to contact the company directly using the contact information you already have.
6. Malicious Links
A study by Phish Labs in 2021 found that 74% of phishing attacks involved malicious URLs that could download malware. Most of the phishing attempts include fake attachments or links that could harm your security. These attachments may seem like documents, invoices, or other files that you are encouraged to click or download. But they can be infected with malware that infects your computer and steals your data. Be careful about opening any attachment until you know where it came from.
Even if the email looks like it’s from a credible source, always check before opening attachments. Just like emails, malicious links can take you to dangerous websites made to steal your information. While these links may appear legitimate, they can lead you to sites where your data is at risk. Before you click those links, always hover over them to see where they take you.
7. Unusual Login Requests
Usually, phishing attacks will come with an unusual login request or a fake login screen. You might get emails that lead you to a page where you are asked to enter your username and password, and they tell you that you have to verify your account. These requests can be trickily made so that you believe you are logging into a real site.
Always be cautious when you are asked to log in through an email link. Real companies usually send you to their official website and not to links to log in. If the login screen looks different or asks for more information than usual, it may be a common indicator of a phishing attempt.
They are fake login screens that are trying to capture your credentials. When you enter your information, scammers gain access to your accounts and can do further damage. You need to be aware of when something doesn’t feel right about a login request.
8. Offers That Seem Too Good to Be True
Offers that sound too good to be true are often part of phishing attacks and prompt you to take action quickly. These emails may offer unbelievable discounts, gifts, or prizes you never entered to win. If there is an amazing offer, be cautious of it.
These tempting offers are used by attackers to attract you to give personal information or click the malicious links. They exploit your desire for a great deal to trick you into falling for their scheme.
Also Read: Indicators of compromise detect threats in businesses
How to Avoid Phishing Attempts?
Here are some effective steps to protect your organization from phishing attempts.
1. Educate Your Team
One smart way you can prevent frequent attacks is by educating your team members about phishing threats. If employees know what phishing is and how it works, they will be able to spot suspicious messages. Conduct regular training sessions with your team so they familiarize themselves with the different kinds of phishing tactics like fake emails, spoofed websites, and urgent requests for sensitive information.
Educating your employees helps them to be aware and if they notice any unusual thing they can report it. Keep everyone engaged with these training sessions. Point out to them real phishing emails, flagging suspicious URLs, asking for personal info, and speed of request. Awareness and knowledge can stop your employees from falling victim to these scams and protect the organization from breaches.
2. Promote Best Practices for Email Use
Minimizing phishing risks requires encouraging best practices for email use. First, remind your team to not click on unknown links or download unexpected attachments. Phishing emails are always urgent so you have to check the source before acting. Preventing many phishing incidents is as simple as pausing before clicking. Teach your team to double-check the sender’s email address, especially in unexpected messages.
If your team members can verify email addresses, links, and any strange requests it will help them identify a phishing attempt. Also tell to your employees that “strong” passwords are important, and that we practice good account management. If employees fall for the scam and reveal credentials, weak passwords can leave accounts easy targets for attackers. Improve your team’s likelihood of using complex unique passwords and changing them often.
3. Implement Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
By adding an extra layer of Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), scammers have a harder time getting accounts even if they have passwords. With MFA, your team has to verify themselves with a second form of verification, like a code sent to their phone, to log in. Even if your password is compromised, a phishing attack can be stopped in its tracks with this extra step.
Encourage your employees to enable MFA on every company account they are logged into especially when the information is sensitive. MFA shows your team that security is important, and it builds trust. When employees know their accounts and information are protected, they can focus more on their work.
4. Use Reliable Security Software
Phishing attempts as well as other cyber threats can be defended against with reliable security software. Security software that works well to scan emails, links, and attachments for potential dangers before they reach employees. This proactive defense can prevent phishing attempts before anyone ever gets a chance to interact with threats.
Purchase high-end security software with features to protect your organization over many aspects including filtering of e-mails, and antivirus/anti-malware protection. Your team will always be protected without being burdened by complex security settings.
5. Monitor Communication Channels
Monitoring the communication channels will detect phishing attempts early. Your team may be targeted by scammers through email, messaging apps, or social media. Get some tools that will be able to track and alert suspicious communication across different platforms. It helps your team to deal with possible issues early on before it becomes a bigger threat.
Get employees to report anything that looks strange. If team members are comfortable sharing concerns, they are more likely to let you know about potential phishing attacks. It provides an extra level of security and helps keep an environment of safer communication.
6. Develop a Clear Incident Response Plan
A phishing attack incident response plan will make your team more prepared to respond quickly. It has a clear plan of what to do and how to proceed from identifying the problem to solving it. Make sure that you include detailed guidelines on how to report suspicious emails and to whom employees need to report. Also, decide who will be responsible for security incidents within the team.
These individuals guide the other employees through the response process to manage the incidents effectively with minimal disruption. An incident response plan should also be a strong part of your security strategy. This helps your team know what to do in case of a phishing threat and reduces the risk of major disruptions to your business.
7. Control USB & Website Access
If you are looking to prevent phishing and other security threats, you can control USB as well as network access to your website. Limiting access to devices allows it to restrict the access of external devices that may spread through unreliable malware. Opening infected files from these devices is a common way many phishing attempts work, so limiting access provides another layer of protection.
Similarly, control which websites your team can visit, especially if they’re dealing with sensitive information. Filter out the websites known as malicious sites. This approach helps employees not get accidentally on phishing sites and get scammed.
8. Monitor Files
Monitoring files alerts you to unusual activities that could be a phishing attack or a malware infection. Downloaded files in phishing often compromise security. You can track file activity to see suspicious files before they do any harm. There are many file monitoring tools you could install that will notify you about things like multiple file downloads from unknown sources.
File monitoring tools help you to investigate and take action if something doesn’t seem right. It also helps you keep an eye on file sharing within your team and identify potential risks to make sure information is kept secure.
9. Restrict Upload & Downloads
Limiting uploads and downloads helps prevent your organization from accidentally downloading harmful files or sharing sensitive data with unapproved sources. Often, phishing involves fake attachments or links that will get the user to download malware. You limit these risks by limiting what can be downloaded or uploaded by the employees.
Encourage using set-up controls only allowing downloads and uploads from trusted sources. That way your team knows what is safe to download and upload. Some of these restrictions can stop new malware from entering your systems and decrease the likelihood of sensitive data being leaked for unauthorized uploads.
10. Keep Software and Systems Updated
To avoid other cyber threats such as phishing attempts it is important to keep software and systems updated. Scammers also take advantage of the security gaps of outdated software. Closing the gaps is by regularly updating your systems and making sure that you stay protected against the latest threats.
Encourage your team to keep their software and systems updated. If possible, set up automatic updates so software is always up to date without any manual intervention. Phishing scams are less likely to succeed because software is regularly updated, and adds a layer of security.
Avoid Phishing Attacks using Time Champ.
Phishing attacks are a major security risk, but you can minimize these threats using Time Champ’s data loss protection (DLP) features. Time Champ has a website access control feature that allows you to block harmful websites, so employees cannot access phishing links, and admins will be alerted when they try to open blocked sites.
Sometimes phishing attacks use infected USB devices to introduce malware into the organization’s systems. Time Champ’s USB access control blocks unauthorized USB devices and notifies you when any attempts are made. With this feature, you can prevent unauthorized transfer of your data and hence protect your network from malware files. And it also alerts you immediately when a USB is inserted or removed, and takes appropriate action to stop data leaks or phishing scams.
You can monitor specific files, and folders and also detect suspicious file activity which could be done by the people who may have attempted to get into your system through phishing or to install any malware using Time Champ’s file monitoring. Time Champ also alerts you if any employee unknowingly opens a phishing link that attempts to access sensitive files, and the team can then take quick steps to isolate the threat.
Phishing is a common way for cybercriminals to trick employees into sharing or downloading confidential information. So, it’s important to control data movement. Time Champ restricts uploads and downloads, adding another layer of protection for managers who want to prevent phishing attacks trying to exploit data.
Conclusion
Phishing attempts are risky to your organization. Therefore, recognizing common indicators of such scams is crucial for safeguarding sensitive information and maintaining a company’s reputation. By educating employees and implementing best practices, organizations can effectively mitigate the threat of phishing attacks.
Don’t leave your organization vulnerable to phishing attacks. Take action today and equip your team with Time Champ’s powerful DLP features to protect your data and maintain your company’s reputation. Start using Time Champ and take control of your organization’s security!
Sign up for Time Champ today to protect your team from phishing threats.
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Sign up for FreeBook DemoFrequently Asked Questions
Look closely at the URL. Phishing links often have slight misspellings, extra characters, or unusual domain names. For example, a phishing site might use “amaz0n.com” instead of “amazon.com.” Hover over the link to check its true destination before clicking.
Phishing emails often use urgent language, such as “Act Now!” or “Your account will be locked!” to create a sense of panic and prompt quick action without careful review. Legitimate companies rarely use scare tactics, so be wary of emails that try to pressure you.
Look for “https://” at the beginning of the URL and a padlock icon in the address bar. These indicate that the website is encrypted. However, some phishing sites use these features as well, so always verify the URL and other signs of legitimacy, like the site’s layout and contact information.
Cybercriminals often mimic the logos, colors, and branding of well-known companies to make their phishing emails look convincing. This tactic helps them build trust with the target. Be cautious of any email that claims to be from a recognizable company but has other suspicious signs, like an unusual sender address or unexpected links.
