The Different Kind Of Phishing Scams To Watch Out For

Phishing scams come in various forms and cyber criminals tactics are becoming even more sophisticated in line with the advancement of AI. It’s very important to be aware of phishing scams and stay vigilant always.

In this article we will be discussing the different kinds of phishing scams as well as the importance of advanced cyber security protection for your business.

What is phishing?

Phishing is a type of scam and form of social engineering whereby cyber attackers deceive people into revealing personal and sensitive information to cause harm – usually for financial gain. Some attackers will use phishing to install malware to gain access to internal systems.

Cybercriminals don’t discriminate on the size of a business, their main criteria for selecting their victims is any business, big or small, that is vulnerable without sufficient cybersecurity measures in place.

The most common types of phishing attacks

Cyber attackers continuously find new ways to deceive and trick people into revealing sensitive information. Awareness of the different kinds of phishing is crucial, so you don’t fall victim to a scam.

The main types of scams…

Email phishing

Phishing via email is one of the most common types of phishing scams that people in the UK experience. Criminals will send important-looking emails from what appear to be trusted sources such as the Government, banks, and even your own company. The content of the emails often contains urgent messages insisting you need to take action by clicking on a malicious link or providing personal information. When checking your emails, it’s important to stay vigilant. Your employees should be trained to identify phishing emails to avoid a data breach.

Spear phishing

This kind of phishing specifically targets individuals. Attackers may use information from social media such as LinkedIn to find you and target you. They will create customized messages to trick you into revealing sensitive information that can put your company at risk. They will appear to know you and pull on any reference they find to make their contact more convincing. This is why it’s important to stay vigilant.

Vishing (voice phishing)

This form of phishing involves scammers using phone calls to deceive you into handing over sensitive information. These scammers pose as organizations such as banks and other official bodies to try and deceive you. It’s important that your employees are well-versed in the dangers of vishing and phishing in all forms. With artificial intelligence (AI) becoming more advanced, it is becoming a real worry that scammers may use deepfake technology to generate synthetic voice recordings that can mimic the voice of a specific individual you know. For example, you could receive a phone call from your “CEO” asking for personal information.

How to protect your business from phishing & social engineering scams

Protecting your business from phishing scams is crucial when it comes to cyber security

of your business. To protect against phishing, fishing, and similar threats, stay informed about cyber security best practices, use multi-factor authentication, and be cautious about sharing sensitive information over the phone. Security awareness and education play a crucial role in mitigating the risks associated with social engineering attacks. Cyber security awareness training for your teams is one of the key strategies to help prevent the success of cyber attacks.

Partnering with a cyber security company is one of the best ways to protect your business from the threat of cybercriminals. Cyber security experts can offer a variety of services that help to protect your business and your employees. Services like penetration testing and phishing simulators offer valuable information about the security of your business network.

---

Interesting Related Article: “Tackling Cybersecurity Challenges with Penetration Testing“