Don't fall for urgency, greed, or trust scams! Here's how to stay safe online

In this episode of Techcess, we uncover the dark art of phishing and how attackers exploit human psychology to gain access to your sensitive information.

But what happens when one of your senior staff members falls prey to their tactics?

Find out now by pressing play on the episode!

Common Types of Phishing Scams

Phishing scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated, using a variety of tactics to deceive their victims. These schemes often involve impersonating legitimate organisations or entities, with the end goal of tricking individuals into disclosing sensitive information.

Some more common types of phishing attacks include email phishing, spear phishing, and smishing, which involve different methods of delivery and level of personalisation.

As technology continues to improve, so too do the methods used by cybercriminals, making it imperative for businesses and individuals to stay educated on the latest phishing techniques.

In this latest episode of the "Techcess" podcast, I'm sharing some of the scenarios where attackers gain access to Microsoft 365 mailboxes and exploit this information to steal money from businesses.

Practical Measures to Protect Against Phishing

Executing practical measures is vital in protecting businesses and individuals from phishing attacks.

Adopting a strong defense approach, such as implementing two-factor authentication or using a password manager, can provide an additional layer of security to mitigate potential threats.

Moreover, ensuring that employees are aware of phishing attack tactics and regularly updating software and operating systems can significantly reduce the risk of becoming a victim of phishing schemes.

If you follow me, Mark Riddell, on LinkedIn, you'll know I'm always saying how you don't know what you don't know. And in this episode, I'm suggesting lots of 'you don't knows' that you can start implementing.

Take robust email filters, anti-spam solutions, and multifactor authentication as methods to hinder phishing attacks, just to get us started! I'm also offering another piece of business saving advice on how you can ensure you're not falling for a scam!

Psychological Tactics Used by Phishers

Phishing attacks exploit the human psyche to elicit the desired response from their targets. Certain tactics are employed to manipulate individuals and prompt them to disclose sensitive information or perform a specific action.

For instance, the sense of urgency is created through messages that demand immediate action, while familiarity and trust are used when posing as someone the target knows.

I'll explain more about how they use that, and additionally greed and fear, when they're trying to motivate a victim to provide sensitive information or click a link.

Excerpt from episode 98 of Techcess

(Download transcript)

"So once you receive an invoice from a supplier, say you're due to play a supplier 10,000 pounds. The attackers also received a copy of that invoice. And what they will do is within minutes or hours, they will reply back to your accounts person with a domain that they've registered. It's very similar to the domain that sent the original email. They've seen who sent it, so they'll impersonate that user. 00:03:28 They'll see the language and the tone that they use. If the emails come from someone called Robert and he signs his emails off as Bob, they'll do that too, to make sure it doesn't trigger any red flags with your accounts person."

Notes from Neal the producer on what you can expect to hear in this episode of Techcess:

• Discover key ways to shield your business from the dangers of phishing attacks.
• Learn the essential role of employee education in thwarting phishing schemes.
• Uncover effective strategies for identifying and avoiding these cyber threats.
• Delve into the most prevalent phishing scams targeting businesses today.
• Understand the significance of ongoing awareness and training in preventing such attacks.