Cyberattacks are no longer something that you only hear about happening to big companies, today hackers are explicitly targeting small-to-medium sized businesses. According to CrowdStrike, 78% of organizations have experienced ransomware attacks in the last year, and less than 25% of those organizations were able to be recovered in one day.
The workplace has become one of the biggest targets for cyberattacks. Some attacks to watch out for are email phishing, deep fakes, download and attachment phishing, and Wi-Fi networks that leave you exposed. Hackers can make their attacks look like routine work procedures, and often employees that have been hacked don't even notice.
How your company is being targeted
Today the amount of cybersecurity threats seems to be endless but knowing how to spot them can save your company valuable time and resources.
In the workplace, email-based attacks are going to be the most common. Often, these hackers will pose as management, accounting, or another trusted department and use email account names that look similar to the ones that people in your company use. They might be asking you to click a link or to put in payment information to purchase something on the company card.
Although email phishing is the most common, employees can also be targeted via phone calls, direct messages, or social media. These messages can often come in the form of an everyday-looking pdf, invoices, or even collaboration invitations from colleagues. These hackers are looking for a more friendly and personal way to approach, but in the end, they want the same thing: to breach the first line of defense in your infrastructure.
Some attacks may even happen out of the office. Employees who join an unsecured network risk being targeted. Hackers will often set up fake networks that sound similar in name to the network you may be attempting to join, and once you do, the hacker can gain full access to your data quickly. When not in the office, it is always a good idea to use a trusted password-protected network, your own mobile hotspot, or a VPN. It's important to stay cautious when you're out of office, even on a VPN there remains a risk of getting phished.
Employee training
The biggest defense for these hackers is having employees who are educated in spotting hacking attempts so they can be stopped before they've even started. Most data breaches begin with humans. A short cybersecurity seminar might seem minimal, but it can do so much for your business and keep its data secure. Training employees in the dangers of cyberattacks is no longer an afterthought, it is a priority.
By training your employees on how to spot potential hacking attempts your business will reap the benefits:
- Risk reduction - Employees who can recognize a phishing attempt before clicking are the difference between a blocked attack and a costly breach.
- Protection of confidential information - Well-trained staff are less likely to hand over login credentials, financial data, or client records to someone impersonating a trusted contact.
- Creating a culture of security - When cybersecurity awareness becomes part of everyday habits rather than a one-time seminar, employees start looking out for each other and flagging suspicious activity as a team.
- Reduce cyber insurance premiums - Insurers increasingly factor in an organization's security training programs when calculating premiums, so a documented training history can translate into real savings.
- Save money - The cost of a short training session is a fraction of what a single successful ransomware attack or data breach can cost in downtime, recovery, and lost business.
- Meeting compliance standards - Many industry regulations and client contracts now require proof of regular employee security training, making it a compliance necessity rather than a nice-to-have
What to do if you think you might have been targeted
If you suspect that you might have been targeted, there are a few steps to take to ensure that you're secure. If something seems off always double check who the message is coming from, something as small as a single letter change in an email address can be the difference between secure and dangerous.
Hovering over links before clicking on them will display the web address that the link will send you to. Don't recognize the web address? Don't click on the link.
If you have taken precautionary steps and are still unsure if you are being targeted, it is always a good idea to double check with the possible sender of the message or IT. Taking the extra minute to double check with someone else can save your company vital time and resources.