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Phishing is no new topic in the Blue Layer blog, and if you’ve been with us at any point in the past, then it’s likely that you’ve been with us as we’ve explored the dangers of phishing. And at this point, the most prevalent form of cyber attacks is something with which you might be quite familiar.

According to KnowBe4, cybercrime skyrocketed in 2020, and it’s not a trend that’s expected to subside anytime soon. So, we want to provide a quick refresher on what phishing might look like and what your business should do to combat it.

What Phishing Is

A phishing scam is when hackers attempt to steal confidential information, such as company access, data, passwords, or credit card information, by posing as a trusted or familiar entity via email. These hackers will often use the timeliness of a hot topic (and the uncertainty or anxiety surrounding it) to their advantage. COVID-19 and news concerning vaccine availability are two prime examples of this attempt to capitalize on what is typically considered to be a business’s most vulnerable target: human emotion.

What Phishing Looks Like

Since the term “phishing” was first used in the late 1990s, these scams have evolved and assumed many different shapes. Here are a few examples of what businesses have seen recently.

  • Brand Exploitation: This is one of the most common, especially in the last year. In this scam, cybercriminals will pose as trusted brands to scam users into granting them access to the information they are attempting to steal.
  • Healthcare Phishing: Fake surveys and seminars are the channels through which these phishers gain the information they seek. These types of scams have become increasingly common over the course of the past year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, with scammers posing as trusted health organizations like the CDC or the WHO.
  • Travel-Related Phishing: As people become more comfortable with travel, those taking advantage of their first opportunities to shake that cabin fever are likely to become the next phishing targets. Beware of links that promise great deals and always protect your passwords.
  • Something New: The tricky part about cyber attacks is that they’re always changing shape. The objective remains the same, and you can always expect this old dog to be learning new tricks when the opportunity presents itself.

How to Protect Your Business From Phishing

Cybersecurity Awareness Training

Having the ability to anticipate the evolution of phishing attacks is the key to staying safe from them. Not only can cybersecurity awareness training keep your employees up to date on the latest phishing developments, but it can also equip them with the knowledge that will help them identify harmful web content, emails, and other security risks. Cybersecurity starts and ends with the employee.

Cybersecurity Software and Monitoring

Detect and prevent cyberattacks with a world-class malware database, context-aware monitoring and reporting, retrospective malware analysis, and Threat Grid sandboxing that prevents employees from downloading malware and provides comprehensive security before, during, and after an attack.As businesses grow, cybersecurity protocols often lag behind. And with security threats on the rise, an MSP that offers scalable solutions has become more needed than it ever has been before. Click here to find out how Blue Layer uses right-sized IT solutions to help protect your business from phishing threats.