What are phishing emails?
Phishing emails are designed to trick the recipient into revealing sensitive information or performing an action that benefits the sender. Knowing how to stop phishing emails from being successful is key to preventing them from damaging your organisation’s reputation and finances.
At first, phishing emails can appear legitimate as scammers can pose as a bank, online retailer, or even a work colleague in an attempt to steal your personal or financial data. However, there are many clear signs of phishing and knowing them will prevent fraudulent emails from invading your organisation.
All stats taken from cybertalk.org
How to identify phishing emails
On the surface, phishing emails may appear like any other, authentic email – which is why they are so successful – but they typically feature some tell-tale signs that it’s a malicious email.
They often contain a sense of urgency or a request to verify account information and a link or attachment that leads the recipient to a fake website. The website may ask the recipient to enter their login credentials, credit card information, or other sensitive data, which is then received by the threat actor.
Be wary of emails that:
Ask you to click a link or download an attachment, especially if it comes from an unknown or suspicious sender
Include urgent or threatening language, such as a warning that your account has been compromised or that you will be charged a fee if you don’t take action
Contain spelling or grammar errors
Request personal or financial information, such as your password, credit card number, or bank details
Is unexpected and you didn’t request it or sign up for anything related to the sender
Feature an email address or sender name that doesn’t match the organisation name, or uses a slightly altered version of a legitimate domain name
How to prevent phishing emails
Preventing phishing emails requires a combination of technological solutions, user education, and best practices. Here are several effective strategies to help protect against phishing attacks.
Security awareness training
Educate employees and users about the dangers of phishing and how to recognise suspicious emails. Phishing attacks can be hugely avoidable if your workforce is able to recognise and report them. You can conduct regular phishing simulations to test users’ responses and reinforce training.
Report phishing attempts
Create an easy process for users to report suspicious emails to the IT department for further investigation.
Backup important data
Regularly back up important data to mitigate the impact of any successful phishing attacks that might lead to data loss or ransomware.
Email filtering and spam protection
Implement robust email filtering solutions that can detect and block phishing emails before they reach users’ inboxes. Regularly update and configure spam filters to reduce the number of unsolicited emails.
Anti-phishing software
Use anti-phishing software and browser extensions to warn users about potentially malicious websites and links.
Multi-factor authentication (MFA)
Use multi-factor authentication to add an extra layer of security. Even if attackers obtain login credentials, they won’t be able to access accounts without the second authentication factor.
Email authentication protocols
Use Sender Policy Framework (SPF), DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM), and Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting & Conformance (DMARC) to authenticate emails and prevent spoofing.
Regular software updates
Ensure that all systems, including email clients and web browsers, are regularly updated to protect against vulnerabilities that phishing attacks may exploit.
Use secure connections
Ensure that websites and email services use secure SSL/TLS connections to encrypt data transmission.
Access controls
Implement strict access controls to limit the amount of sensitive information available to users, reducing the potential damage from a successful phishing attack.
Incident response plan
Have a clear incident response plan in place to quickly address phishing attacks when they occur, minimising damage and recovery time.
By implementing these measures, organisations can significantly reduce the risk of falling victim to phishing attacks.
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Book a free one-to-one call with our Cyber Security Specialists today to find out how you can improve your email security strategy and find the right solution for your organisation.
Types of phishing attacks
Phishing attacks come in various forms, each with unique tactics to deceive targets and steal sensitive information. There are always new types of phishing attacks that emerge so it’s crucial to stay vigilant. Understanding these types of phishing attacks can help organisations recognise and defend against such threats, enhancing their overall cyber security posture.
Here are some common types of phishing attacks that you may be exposed to:
Email phishing
Attackers send emails that appear to be from reputable sources, tricking recipients into clicking malicious links or providing personal information.
Spear phishing
A more targeted form of phishing, spear phishing involves personalised emails sent to specific individuals or organisations, making the attack more convincing and harder to detect.
Whaling
A type of spear phishing aimed at high-profile targets like senior executives, often involving sophisticated tactics to gain access to sensitive corporate data.
Vishing (voice phishing)
Attackers use phone calls to impersonate legitimate entities, such as banks or government agencies, to extract confidential information from victims.
Smishing (SMS phishing)
Phishing attacks conducted via text messages, where attackers send malicious links or request personal information through SMS.
Quishing (QR phishing)
Quishing, or QR code phishing, is a type of phishing attack where attackers use QR codes to trick victims into revealing sensitive information or downloading malicious software.
Find out more in our beginner’s guide to quishing
Clone phishing
Attackers create a near-identical copy of a legitimate email that the victim has previously received, replacing legitimate links or attachments with malicious ones.
Pharming
Rather than tricking users into clicking on a malicious link, pharming redirects users from legitimate websites to fraudulent ones without their knowledge, typically through DNS cache poisoning.
Business email compromise (BEC)
Attackers impersonate business executives or employees to trick companies into transferring money or divulging confidential information, often by compromising or spoofing legitimate email accounts.
Man-in-the-middle (MitM) attacks
Attackers intercept and potentially alter communications between two parties without their knowledge, often to steal login credentials or other sensitive information.
Angler phishing
Attackers use social media platforms to deceive users into revealing personal information or clicking on malicious links, often by posing as customer service representatives or trusted contacts.
Pop-up phishing
Attackers create pop-up windows that appear on websites, prompting users to enter sensitive information, believing the request to be legitimate.
Search engine phishing
Attackers create fake websites that appear in search engine results, tricking users into visiting these sites and providing personal information or downloading malware.
Understanding these types of phishing attacks can help organisations recognise and defend against such threats, enhancing their overall cyber security posture.
Financial losses
When successful, phishing emails can give hackers access to sensitive information, such as financial data, login credentials, or credit card information – and the average cost of a ransomware attack is $10 million!
Data breaches
Phishing attacks often involve a data breach, resulting in damage to the organisation’s reputation, legal and regulatory penalties, and a loss of customers.
Disruption of operations
If employees fall victim to phishing attacks, it can disrupt business continuity, particularly if the attacker gains access to critical systems or sensitive data.
Decreased productivity
Phishing attacks can also decrease productivity, as employees may need to spend time changing passwords, updating security settings, or reporting the incident.
Damage to reputation
Organisations that let phishing emails slip through risk their reputation being tarnished, as customers and partners may lose trust in their ability to protect sensitive data.
Phishing email FAQs:
Hover over the link (do not click): this will show you the actual URL. Check if it matches the expected domain and looks legitimate.
Check for red flags: look for unusual characters, misspellings, or strange domain names.
Use a link scanner: websites like VirusTotal allow you to paste the link and scan it for potential threats.
Verify the source: if the email is from a known contact, confirm with them directly if they sent the link.
Check for HTTPS: ensure the link starts with “https://” which indicates a secure connection.
Use security software: make sure your antivirus and anti-malware software are up to date and run a scan if you’re unsure.
If you receive a phishing email:
- Do not click on any links or download attachments
- Do not reply to the email
- Report it to your IT department or email provider
- Delete the email from your inbox
User education is crucial because even the best technical defences can be bypassed by clever attackers. Regular training helps users recognise phishing attempts and understand the steps to take if they encounter one.
Regularly back up your data to ensure you can recover important information in case of a successful phishing attack. The frequency of backups depends on your organisation’s needs, but a good practice is to perform daily or weekly backups.
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At Phoenix we work with a number of industry-leading email security partners to offer the best cyber security solutions for your organisation. Click below to talk to our Cyber Security Specialists and find out more!
Alternatively, please email us at [email protected] or call 01904 562200 and one of our specialists will be in touch to discuss your requirements.