The first line of defense for the security of your company's communications is employee awareness. You will be safer the more informed and better equipped your workforce is to handle dangers and attacks. Unfortunately, recent research has revealed that more than half of today's workers have not received internet security training. This gap might be highly unsettling for a business owner like you! Should you become the victim of an online attack, such a lack of knowledge and training poses dangerous risks to your company.
Let's look at a few ways you can protect yourself.
Check the Employee Awareness Knowledge of Your Staff
Perhaps your workforce is far more knowledgeable about online security than the average office employee. You can have them complete this Employee Readiness Check to find out where they stand. We have developed this easy test to determine how ready your staff are for a cyberattack or hacking attempt. Well done if they pass with flying colors! Your company has excellent defenses against internet assaults!
However, it is more likely that they will perform slightly worse than you would hope. The facts show that most employees cannot recognize a phishing email from a regular email.
Teach Your Staff How to Spot a Phishing Threat
A frequent online danger to communication security is phishing. Hackers seek to steal data by impersonating trustworthy organizations. The idea seems too simple to be effective, yet you would not believe how easily hackers gain the trust of unwary personnel. A cybercriminal can gain access to sensitive data, including your bank account information, client databases, and passwords, with the help of a successful phishing attack.
You must teach your staff to exercise caution and take subsequent actions when using the company's communication system if you want to help stop phishing assaults from being successful.
Double-check Email Addresses
Pay special attention because phishing addresses closely resemble legitimate addresses. It's possible that what ought to be a ".com" is a ".co" or some other strange suffix.
To Verify, Hover over the Links
When you receive a link via email, text message, or social media, hover over it to see the URL. It's better not to click the link if it doesn't look recognizable than to take a chance on infecting your computers.
Verify your Grammar and Spelling
There are several red flags that are typical of phishing emails. Official correspondence from reputable organizations will be reviewed and spell-checked before being sent to you. Hackers attempting to access your system will most likely send messages filled with errors and having employee awareness protocols in place will protect you.
Ignore Emails Requesting Passwords
There isn't a reliable company out there right now that will email you to ask for your password or other personal information. It's better to ignore or block any messages that request this information if you receive them.
It is easy to grow complacent with communication security, given the number of emails your employees receive and the various activities they must complete at work.
Therefore, it is essential that you routinely administer pop quizzes to your employees.
By sending them harmless "phishing emails" to determine whether they will handle these types of threats appropriately and to keep their employee awareness skills honed.
Our team offers employee training for internet safety and communication security.
Don't entrust the security of your business to a whim. Call us today, and we'll help you create the best possible first line of defense.
We also have a free downloadable eBook that answers many of the questions you may have about working with a managed service provider. Download it today!