You’ve probably received countless phishing emails, whether you knew it or not. But for small business owners, the risks are higher when receiving them.
You may have heard the term “phishing email” used in previous posts and all that’s related to cybersecurity. Rick Wash, an Associate Professor of Information Science and Cybersecurity at MSU, defines what exactly is a phishing email. The NextGov article explains that phishing emails are “fake emails that try to get people to do things they wouldn’t normally do, such as send money, run dangerous programs or give out passwords.”
Perhaps in the past, it may have been easy to spot phishing attempts and avoid them. However, phishing emails are becoming much more sophisticated and challenging to recognize, thus becoming even more dangerous.
So, how can you identify, avoid, and overcome phishing email attempts? The first step, and arguably the most critical step, is determining if an email is a phishing attempt.
Every now and then, you may read an email and sense that something is off. Wash reports that “my research found that people are good at the first two steps: noticing things in the email that seem weird, and becoming uncomfortable.” It could be that the email has multiple problems, such as typos or asking for something without speaking to you in person first. These things alone don’t mean it’s a phishing attempt, but they are good signals.
What do you do after finding a suspicious email? The most important thing to remember is that phishing is still prevalent. Wash reveals that “the challenge for most people was remembering that phishing exists, and recognizing that phishing might explain those weird things.” If you suspect an email, report it to your IT team, investigate it, or ask others for help.
The ultimate takeaway is to look out for emails that feel off, remember that a phishing attempt may be a possibility, and investigate or report the email.
Perhaps in the past, it may have been easy to spot phishing attempts and avoid them. However, phishing emails are becoming much more sophisticated and challenging to recognize, thus becoming even more dangerous.
So, how can you identify, avoid, and overcome phishing email attempts? The first step, and arguably the most critical step, is determining if an email is a phishing attempt.
Every now and then, you may read an email and sense that something is off. Wash reports that “my research found that people are good at the first two steps: noticing things in the email that seem weird, and becoming uncomfortable.” It could be that the email has multiple problems, such as typos or asking for something without speaking to you in person first. These things alone don’t mean it’s a phishing attempt, but they are good signals.
What do you do after finding a suspicious email? The most important thing to remember is that phishing is still prevalent. Wash reveals that “the challenge for most people was remembering that phishing exists, and recognizing that phishing might explain those weird things.” If you suspect an email, report it to your IT team, investigate it, or ask others for help.
The ultimate takeaway is to look out for emails that feel off, remember that a phishing attempt may be a possibility, and investigate or report the email.