Did you know that 90% of successful data breaches begin with phishing scams? Since the term as we know it was first used in the late 1990s, phishing has evolved into cyber criminals’ most tried and true methods of stealing sensitive information or data from unsuspecting users and their businesses. They are costly, they are constantly evolving into new shapes, and they aren’t going anywhere. Some of the most recent and most prevalent attempts at phishing that we’ve seen have included:

Email phishing: Phishing emails are the most common form of attack and one of the oldest in the book. Most attempts use a trustworthy email address and format that the recipient will recognize. The emails contain clickable links that contain a malicious link, document, or image that’s used to obtain personal information or download malicious code. 

Spear phishing: Spear phishing is a more targeted attack that gathers public information used to target entire businesses or departments. 

CEO Fraud: Also known as “whaling,” this scam targets high-level executives of organizations, as opposed to those that they serve.

Business Email Compromise (BEC): This method is similar to whaling, but instead of attacking high-level executives, it impersonates them.

HTTPS phishing: These attacks are URL-based and an attempt to trick users into clicking what appears to be a safe link. In the past, HTTPS protocol required certain certificates that protected against these kinds of attacks. However, hackers are now able to obtain and apply those certificates to their scam sites for free. 

While they may appear different at face value, most phishing schemes essentially work the same way and have the same goal: stealing information from your business.

So, if they’ve been around for years and we know so much about them, then why are the latest phishing attacks still posing threats to businesses?

Some businesses fail to emphasize the importance of cybersecurity etiquette.

It’s easy to throw around words like “cybersecurity” or “phishing” or “cybercriminals,” but what do they actually mean for a business and its information? They can’t be that dangerous, right?

Wrong.

When employees are constantly bombarded with overstimulation of messages on a daily basis, it becomes all too easy for them to become detached from the grim reality that these types of threats pose. It’s also easy to let your guard down when work gets busy and you’re operating on autopilot. “Out of sight, out of mind” just doesn’t cut it when it comes to the latest phishing scams, and employees must be on guard at all times. How? With cybersecurity awareness training.

Some businesses fail to properly train employees on cybersecurity awareness.

Suppose an employee doesn’t know how to identify and avoid phishing scams. How can they be expected to stand on the front lines between their business and cybercriminals who are constantly changing and evolving the way they attack? Cybersecurity awareness training puts everyone on the same page and teaches them how to identify and avoid malicious content, even when it is indiscernible from the rest of the messages flooding their inboxes.

Some businesses fail to make cybersecurity awareness a natural part of their employees’ workday rhythms.

Cybersecurity awareness is the only way to combat the latest phishing attacks, and refining it should become as natural as opening your email in the morning. The same way hackers are constantly updating their methods, we have to continually update our knowledge. Becoming stagnant can mean leaving your business vulnerable.

Phishing attacks may be evolving and becoming more sophisticated, but that doesn’t mean your business has to fall for them. Contact Blue Layer today to learn how our cybersecurity awareness training can transform your employees into impenetrable human firewalls!