Although we now have an endless stream of channels to communicate through, email continues to be the most convenient, reliable and therefore popular method. However, using email does come with its risks. The high volume of emails most of us receive on a day-to-day basis means that we are often not paying attention to potential spam emails.
Spammers are becoming more sophisticated. As we became accustomed to receiving more emails when we would otherwise receive physical letters, it has become increasingly easier for these individuals to attack your business via email.
With so many sources of cyberattacks, it can often feel like an uphill battle to keep unwanted eyes from prying into, accessing and mishandling your critical data. Here are a few easy ways to combat spam.
Keep your email address private
It may seem easier to hand out your email address – be it personal or business – for the sake of not missing out on a good opportunity. However, you should be wary of whom this information is being shared with and how easily it can end up in the wrong hands. It’s also important to note that opening a spam email is basically inviting a cybercriminal to access your data.
You will also want to ensure that two-factor authentication has been enabled for all accounts. This is a simple, straightforward and great way to ensure that any unauthorised attempts to access accounts within your business are flagged appropriately. Ultimately, leading to better practise and peace of mind.
Stop, think, click.
Often, very important emails can end up in your spam folder due to automated email filters. Yet, in most cases emails marked “spam” or redirected to said folder are indeed sent by spammers. It’s vitally important to;
- STOP – Rather than diving straight into checking all your emails stop for a second to briefly look through what’s lying in your inbox.
- THINK – Do you recognise the sender or topic of the email? Is it something you’re expecting?
- CLICK – Once you’ve stopped and thought about what’s happening, now is the time to decide what to do. You can mark, move to, block, unsubscribe and delete messages accordingly.
These steps are especially important before you open any attachments within suspicious emails. You should also encourage your team to refrain from downloading any content that has been blocked by your email service provider. We highly recommend incorporating regular team training to not only teach the basics of cybersecurity awareness, but also as a refresher. Cybercriminals are constantly evolving their tactics, so it is important to have periodic training and reminders. For more information on how to recognise spam, read this blog post.
Another resource to consider are DLP (Data Leak Prevention) tools, which are exclusively designed to identify the sensitive data your business needs to protect while taking remediation action to mitigate incidents. Our friendly team can help you navigate the market to understand what the best options are, determine what your organisation needs and take into account what security solutions you already have in place, while maintaining the emphasis on data classification and discovery.
No response, is the best response
You may feel tempted to reply and demand the spammer stop sending you useless and potentially dangerous emails. However, by replying you are showing the spammer that the email address is active, increasing the chances of your inbox becoming a target for further spam content.
Whilst on the topic of testing your team’s response to cyberattacks, you may wish to consider our Penetration Testing solutions. By simulating a real-world cyberattack on your business you will get a better idea of vulnerabilities and weaknesses within your network as well as your team.
Our network penetration testing services include:
- Physical network penetration testing.
- Wireless network penetration testing.
- Application penetration testing.
- Device penetration testing.
- Team penetration testing.
Install the latest anti-virus software
Better safe than sorry is a saying that definitely applies here. Why wait for something to go wrong when you can easily access the latest in anti-SPAM and anti-virus software available on the market? Our IT Security Services can help you keep your business, team and sensitive data protected against cybercriminals.
Conclusion
It is essential that you maintain your businesses cybersecurity strategy strong. We highly recommend assessing and gaining certification for your business from the Cyber Essentials scheme, a government-backed cybersecurity standard, to ensure you’re addressing cybersecurity effectively.
The long-term goal is to have an IT infrastructure and the appropriate cybersecurity protocols in place to mitigate the damage caused by potential cyberattacks. If something were to go wrong you can rest assured that our team of highly-trained and experienced engineers would be on hand to help get your business back up and running.
If you have any further questions regarding cybersecurity and protecting your business assets against spammers and hackers feel free to contact us today on +44 203 034 2244 or +1 323 984 8908.
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