In recognition of the National Cyber Security Month, there’s no better time for businesses to reinforce their defences, including against phishing scams.
Phishing attacks are increasingly sophisticated, so it’s vital to stay aware and proactive. As a local and well-trusted IT support and managed services provider, our knowledgeable and friendly team at Fentons IT have put together some top tips to help safeguard your business.
These practical measures will boost your cyber security and reduce the risk of phishing threats, ensuring your company’s data remains secure.
Top Phishing Protection Considerations – Don’t Take The Bait!
- Verify Communications Before Taking Action: Some phishing emails look incredibly legitimate – it only takes a lapse in judgement to fall foul of these cyber criminals and take the bait. Encourage your team to question everything. Ask them to verify any unexpected requests – especially those asking for sensitive information or urgent action. As a trusted cyber security provider in Sussex, we stress the importance of always double-checking the sender’s identity before clicking any links. If in doubt, pick up the phone and call the sender to check it’s genuine – it can sometimes be the case that a cyber-criminal is emailing from a genuine, compromised account. It’s a chance for a catch up with Steve in Finance, as well as protecting your company data!
- Implement Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Also known as Two-Factor Authentication (2FA). One of the most effective ways to secure your business is through cyber security measures like MFA. MFA adds an extra layer of security by requiring users to provide two or more verification methods, such as a password alongside a code sent to their mobile phone. This makes it harder for an attacker to gain account access.
- Regular Software and Security Updates: Keep your systems protected by ensuring your device software is kept fully updated. We offer device Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) as a service. This allows us to monitor and deploy regular system updates that are released. The RMM service ensures we are proactively keeping on top of any vulnerabilities and tackling them at the earliest opportunity before it poses a threat to your business.
National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC)
Human error is one of the leading causes of cyber security breaches. Employees can unknowingly fall victim to phishing scams by clicking on suspicious links or using weak passwords (and without the use of MFA) . However, with sufficient training and awareness programs, businesses can significantly reduce these risks. Regular cyber-security training ensures staff are well equipped with the knowledge to safely recognise threats. It also supports them to follow best practice on how to identify and report them. We recommend using the government National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) website. This is a fantastic (and free!)tool to use as a base for your staff knowledge and training. NCSC’s cyber security training for staff now available – NCSC.GOV.UK
Contact Us
If you have any questions about protecting your business against phishing attacks, please fill out our contact form and a member of our friendly team will be in touch.
Alternatively, you can reach us at one of our Sussex locations: