With cyber risks being one of the biggest concerns for companies in 2022, shrewd organizational leaders are taking steps to reduce their exposure. From ransomware attacks to data breaches, the odds of being targeted by a crippling threat are extremely high.
Further complicating matters for business leaders, the most common entry point for attacks or breaches isn’t faulty software, hardware or network settings. Despite decades of attempts to show personnel how to avoid being tricked by a cybercriminal, employees remain the greatest exposure point for any firm.
Why is this the case? Humans, unlike technology solutions, are gullible. They are naturally inclined to trust communications from companies and individuals they think they know. Consequently, phishing, where personnel are tricked into providing login credentials or other sensitive information or clicking on a bogus malware-laden link, is still one of the most common entry points for cybercriminals to gain access to corporate resources.
The Evolution of Phishing
Phishing scams originated in the 1990s, when a group of hackers compromised the web portal and online service provider America Online (AOL). More than 30 years later, thanks to a global network of professional hackers working for nation states or well-organized criminal enterprises, phishing mechanisms have only increased and expanded in their reach.
Once limited mainly to email, phishing has become much more sophisticated in just the past decade. Today, your personnel can be “phished” via email, mobile devices, social media and even phone calls. Furthermore, cybercriminals continue to fine-tune their techniques to ensure they incent a rapid response from their victims. Common ploys include creating a sense of urgency and/or impersonating a trusted source, such as your firm’s HR department or even a well-respected corporate brand.
To Reduce Exposure, Target the Source
An estimated 90% of all data breaches start with phishing that targets your employees. Consequently, employee education — specifically phishing training followed by testing to confirm your staff are applying these learnings — is mission critical for every firm.
To help your personnel recognize and avoid these threats, JETT Business Technology offers expert phishing training and testing. Training is delivered in easy-to-digest, 3-5 minute, self-paced online segments. The training is then followed up with periodic testing of your users to assess their vigilance and determination to protect your intellectual property.
Phishing tests and training do more than simply educate. If you have in-house cybersecurity professionals, or you contract with a firm like JETT Business Technology that can provide you with professional cybersecurity expertise the results of your phishing tests will also help those pros spot gaps in your defenses and close them.
Final Thoughts
With global risk management firm Allianz predicting that cyber perils will be the most significant risk companies face in 2022, every business owner should be taking appropriate measures, including phishing training and testing, to protect their firm and its corporate data. If you are still on the fence, or you don’t think your company can become victim, consider this: experts predict that more than 80% of cyberattacks in 2022 will be the result of a phishing scam.
To learn more or to explore our phishing training and testing services (including the potential for specialized customizations), we invite you to call us at 678-387-5717. Our highly qualified, deeply knowledgeable experts are continuously researching and investigating the latest threats and hacker approaches with the goal of helping your company avoid them.
