Cybersecurity Awareness Month

Cybersecurity Awareness Month

Tips to Keep Your Data Safe From Phishing!

Regarding cybersecurity, phishing attacks are among the most common security breaches. The FBI Internet Crime Complaint Centre published a report in 2020 confirming this fact.

What is phishing?

Phishing is a fraudulent technique to get sensitive data through disguised emails. Additionally, the person phishing acts like a reputable entity. For example, they create email content to trick individuals into revealing personal information, such as passwords and/or credit card numbers.

How do I identify phishing?

There are several forms of phishing. Specifically, this article will address the most common type of phishing ploy, email phishing.

• Email phishing: A phishing attempt sent by email will typically attempt to appear as a legitimate company by utilizing a fake domain name that appears to be from a creditable organization.

Be vigilant when reviewing emails to help minimize your risk of being tricked by a phishing email. Here are some key ways to help you protect yourself from an email phishing threat:

1. Assess content. In other words, observe whether the email has a link or an attachment and whether it is asking for money, credentials, or sensitive information. Is the email content pressuring you with “time-sensitive” phrasing?
2. Do you know the sender? Check the email from the sender. For instance, remember that email addresses, company logos, and links can be spoofed or disguised to look like the real deal. So always double-check to ensure you know the sender, especially if the email asks for the above criteria.
3. Verify who sent the email. Hovering over the vanity email name to check the email, calling the sender, or checking the address in your browser are all strong defenses to help avoid getting snagged by a phishing technique.
4. Report it. If you are getting a phishing attack at work, inform your IT security department about the attempt if you receive a phishing email at home. It’s best to report the attempt to the entity the phishing email is trying to emulate. For example, if it is a fake email from your bank, report it to your bank.

For a helpful way to visually process this information, visit Proofpoint, a leading cybersecurity company.

Cybersecurity is a priority.

Phishing is a harmful way to bait end users into sharing valuable personal data. As long as you know this tactic and how it works, you can defend yourself from this type of cybersecurity threat. We understand the importance of keeping your data secure as your lender. If you have questions about our security practices and the steps to help mitigate risks, feel free to connect with Joel for additional questions today!