Consider this scenario: you are a financial manager responsible for managing your company's finances, and you receive an urgent email that looks like it's from your CEO. The message instructs you to quickly transfer a significant amount of money to secure a major business deal. The email seems legitimate, complete with the CEO's signature and company logo. Pressured by the urgency, you comply, only to find out later that you have fallen victim to a cleverly crafted email scam.
This tactic, also known as phishing, has unfortunately become the most common form of cybercrime today. With nearly five million attacks observed in 2022 alone, it’s never been more critical to stay vigilant. In this article, we explore the best strategies for protecting your company from email scams.
Implement thorough security measures
Having the right security tools and protocols in place is nonnegotiable. These measures could include spam filters and antivirus software, which work to detect and block suspicious emails, significantly reducing the risk of employees falling victim to a phishing attack.
Additionally, email authentication protocols such as SPF (Sender Policy Framework), DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail), and DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance) can help you identify the legitimacy of incoming messages. These technologies are known to prevent spoofing and ensure that the emails coming from your domain are authentic.
You should also consider using encryption and multifactor authentication (MFA) to add extra layers of security. Encryption scrambles the contents of your emails, rendering them unreadable to unauthorized recipients, while MFA requests multiple forms of verification before granting anyone access to your accounts. Both reduce the likelihood of compromised emails as well as the effects of potential phishing attacks.
Establish clear email policies and procedures
Clear-cut email policies serve as guidelines for how your staff should use their email accounts and handle sensitive information. For this reason, it’s important to define what acceptable use is as it applies to their accounts. Your company's acceptable use policy should outline the rules for communicating and file sharing via email, as well as guidelines for accessing email on one’s personal devices.
Your policies should also encourage the reporting of suspicious emails. Consider establishing a protocol for this, one that ensures potential threats are promptly addressed before they cause harm. Employees should also be trained to verify the authenticity of requests regarding sensitive data or financial transactions over email. There should be procedures for doing so via alternative communication channels, such as phone calls or in-person conversations.
Educate and train your employees
Fostering cybersecurity awareness among your staff can help them recognize common scams. Start by explaining the different types of email scams, including phishing, spoofing, and social engineering. Provide real-life examples to illustrate how these scams work and the potential consequences of falling victim to them. Encourage a culture of skepticism, emphasizing the importance of staying vigilant and always questioning the legitimacy of urgent or sensitive emails.
Additionally, it’s worth conducting regular training sessions that enhance employees’ cybersecurity knowledge. These sessions could teach them to look out for red flags in email communication, such as unexpected requests for private data or suspicious links and attachments. Running simulations could also help illustrate how scammers operate and the tactics they use to deceive unsuspecting victims. This tests your staff's preparedness for cyberattacks.
Stay informed and adapt
Lastly, staying up to date on the latest email scam tactics can help you stay ahead of emerging cyberthreats. Subscribe to security newsletters and follow reputable sources of cybersecurity news, such as Cybercrime Magazine and The Hacker News. These sources often provide updates on the latest email-related scams and the best practices for avoiding them.
Additionally, collaborating with professionals, such as third-party security teams or consultants may provide you with valuable insights about improving your overall business security. These professionals can help you conduct thorough cybersecurity assessments and provide recommendations for enhancing your measures. This way, you’ll be equipped with knowledge about the latest tools, software updates, and technologies for keeping your email communications safe.
Secure your systems, data, and online communications with the latest tools in cybersecurity. NetQuest has an extensive range of security solutions, from risk management to detection and prevention technologies. Don’t be another phishing statistic — get in touch for a consultation today.
