Protecting Your Business Against Phishing: Training Best Practices

In the modern world of business, it pays to stay alert to cybersecurity threats. Unfortunately, the reality is that there are always fraudsters out there looking to take advantage of unsuspecting companies – and if you find yourself on the receiving end, it can be hugely costly.

This is why you need to take action to ensure that your business is braced for the possibility of cyberattacks. One of the most common types of cyberattacks is phishing, where scammers pose as representatives of legitimate organisations in an attempt to con people out of money or sensitive personal information.

Although most phishing scams are easy enough to spot, others are quite sophisticated and can easily catch people unawares. Here, we’ll look at some of the most effective ways to protect your business against phishing attempts through educating and training your staff.

Highlight common phishing methods and tactics

One of the most vital points to remember is that phishing attacks can take numerous forms. These include email phishing, spear phishing (targeted at specific individuals), whaling (targeted at executives and managers), smishing (SMS phishing), vishing (voice phishing) and others.

It’s essential, then, that you train your staff to understand the different types of phishing attacks and how to spot them. Tactics used by scammers – such as suspicious links, unexpected attachments and urgent requests – should also be highlighted in training sessions.

Conduct simulated phishing exercises

Perhaps the best way to be sure that your staff truly understand phishing, the forms it takes and the threats it can pose is to let them put that understanding into practice. This is why you should conduct simulated phishing exercises, so your team can learn more about how to spot them.

So, ask the members of your team to distinguish between genuine emails and malicious phishing attempts. Not everyone will spot them all, so you should provide immediate feedback and further educational resources to help those who are duped by simulated phishing attacks.

Create a security-conscious culture

It’s crucial that every member of your team understands their responsibilities for upholding cybersecurity. Scammers are always looking for new security vulnerabilities to exploit, and your employees need to be aware of the ever-changing threats they’re likely to face.

Creating a security-conscious culture in your organisation is therefore essential. Remind your team of their role in keeping your business secure, and emphasise that cybersecurity is everybody’s responsibility. This helps to create a more vigilant mindset and bolster protection against scams.

Send regular cybersecurity reminders

Following on from the previous point, employees need to be regularly reminded about cybersecurity and their own responsibilities in that regard. Regular reminders about security-related issues should be sent out to the members of your team so they know what’s required of them.

Internal communications – such as emails and posters – should be used to maintain high cybersecurity awareness. Employees should also be reminded to use multi-factor authentication on all work-related accounts to add an extra layer of security, even if login details are compromised.

Make security resources easily accessible

Employees should be provided with ongoing cybersecurity resources and support so that they can stay abreast of emerging threats and seek clarification when they need it. Resources such as guides, security policies and cheat sheets should be made available and easily accessible.

It’s also a good idea, where possible, to create a cybersecurity support system or helpdesk where employees can seek direct assistance when they have a security-related question or an issue they need to raise. Taking steps like these can significantly enhance your overall level of protection against phishing and other cyberattacks.

Conclusion

Thorough cybersecurity training can play a central role in safeguarding your business from phishing attempts. Training should be provided on an ongoing, periodic basis so that employees are made aware of the evolving and multiplying cybersecurity threats with which they’re faced.

Phishing attacks have themselves evolved and proliferated over the years. Whereas once they were usually fairly easy for any savvy internet user to spot, today the most advanced forms of phishing are highly sophisticated. This is why your team needs to be trained in how to spot them and remain vigilant. At Solsoft, we can help your business stay on top of emerging cybersecurity threats and make the most effective use of the latest technology tools. Arrange a call with us today to find out more about what we can do to boost your business.