A survey released at the end of 2021 by a specialist website, has confirmed that phishing attacks remain the greatest cyber security threat to businesses.
Phishing is where a hacker sends you an email pretending to be from someone else. They might fake an email from your bank, for example. When you click a link in the email, you’re taken to a page that does look like your bank’s login page.
But it’s not. It’s a fake page set up to steal your information. The criminals hope you’ll enter your real login details, so they can access your business bank accounts.
Other threats from phishing emails include fake PDFs – with names such as “invoice”. Often clicking these can allow the hacker to install malicious software, known as malware, on your computer.
A specialist cybersecurity news website called Dark Reading compiles a Strategic Security Survey every year. In the 2021 survey, 53% of businesses that reported a breach this year said it happened primarily because of a phishing attack. 41% blamed malware for playing a part in their breach.
And 17% experienced something called a Denial of Service attack. This is where hackers send a flood of traffic to a network or website, hoping to overwhelm it and force it to shut down.
What’s important to remember is that none of these attacks were specifically targeted at the victim businesses. Everyday hackers email thousands of people, waiting to see who opens and clicks on the emails.
That’s why the primary protection against phishing is training your people well. Software can help to protect your business, but not as much as training can.
If you need help with phishing awareness training, or believe your business is at imminent risk, please contact us immediately.
