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How Your Company – and Employees – Can Avoid Common Internet Scams
As technology continues to evolve, so do the tactics that hackers and cybercriminals use to try and breach our systems and steal our data. As a business executive, the fallout from even one cyber attack can mean the end of your career – and ever your company! So it is essential that you are vigilant and that you train your employees to be watchful for common scams. Here at Knowledge Hub Media, we love to educate people on all things technology, so we have some helpful tips for entrepreneurs on how to protect their employees and their company from cyber scams.
Phishing Scams
One of the most common threats that causes a lot of damage is the phishing email, which is a fake communication sent by hackers that are meant to look like a legitimate message, but really it contains a link or attachment that can release a virus if clicked or opened. Hackers often try to disguise these messages to make them look like they are sent from a manager or even the IT team so employees feel pressured to open them.
Business owners need to have extensive training classes that teach employees about the warning signs of phishing scams, which include:
- Emails filled with typos.
- A “business” message comes from a common website like Gmail or Hotmail.
- Instead of saying your name, the message is addressed “to whom it may concern” or another general greeting.
Public Wi-Fi Scams
The arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic has changed how we work, and now, more people than ever are working remotely. However, this way of working opens us up to other internet scams. One of these threats is when a hacker sets up a fake Wi-Fi network in a public establishment like a restaurant or coffee shop that looks like the real deal. When the unsuspecting employee connects to the network, the hacker can have direct access to their device and from there they can also breach your corporate systems.
To prevent this scam, employees should make it a habit to ask the owner of the establishment for the proper network. Even better, management at your organization should put policies in place that either restrict the use of work equipment outside of the office or require that employees only work on secured equipment.
Fake Software
Another tactic that hackers attempt in office environments is the fake software scam where they try to trick employees into downloading and installing software onto their computers that is instead just a form of malware. This fake software can sometimes be falsely labeled as antivirus software and employees who are afraid that their system is in danger can blindly install it and at that point, the damage is done. Once inside of your system, hackers can steal data at will.
Recovery Plans
Even with extensive employee training programs, it is still possible that your systems could be hacked, so you need to have a recovery plan in place so you can take immediate action to mitigate the threat. This plan should detail which applications need to be recovered first and it should enlist specific employees who will be responsible for taking particular actions to eliminate the threat. Review this plan several times a year to ensure that the team is ready for action.
Beyond that, your company should also invest in IT security and have a team on the premises that can proactively protect your systems against the newest threats. It is much easier to prevent a potential threat than to have to recover from a massive data breach, so this IT team will be well worth the money.
As you can see, security threats do exist, but with the proper protection and employee education, your company can stay secure. If you have additional questions about data security or tech in general, then contact Knowledge Hub Media at the form here.
