Phishing attacks carry ransomware and other bad stuff. Learn to spot phishing attempts. You could save yourself a whole lot of agony, and save your employer a bundle of money.
Phishing is a very common type of cyber-attack via emails and web site login pages.
We recently heard from the office manager of a dental practice in Vermont, who told us about her experience with ransomware. She got an email about a shipment, and she clicked on it to see the tracking information. However, the email was not from a real shipping company. It was a very convincing spoof.
Later that day, their network started acting strangely. Then they found out their files were encrypted by a criminal who was seeking thousands of dollars in ransom.
In a phishing attack, the cyber-criminals impersonate a reputable business and prompt you to login, click a link, or open an email attachment. If you do, it exposes your login information or loads dangerous code onto your computer and network.
So, these days phishing isn’t just the Nigerian prince promising large sums of money. Codestar routinely gets phishing emails nearly good enough to fool even us.
Fortunately, there are simple ways to spot phishing attempts. We recommend all computer users get training to recognize suspicious emails and web sites. You can get started with the free Phishing Quiz below, or contact Codestar to learn about training options for your workplace.