You should know without us telling you that you can’t just hand out your information to anyone. But, it should be realized that most threats are sent through email. You may encounter a situation in which you might even consider clicking on an attachment sent to you via email, but these attachments could put your or your business at serious risk.
Let’s go over what you should be on the lookout for when it comes to sketchy or dangerous email attachments and how to avoid phishing emails. When it comes to viruses and ransomware, those emails will usually end up in your spam inbox. Spam emails are a way that viruses can be easily spread to numerous people at one time. With it being sent out to so many people, the likelihood of someone clicking on it and downloading it is much higher.
If an infected attachment has been downloaded to your workstation, that is when ransomware pops up and begins making itself at home. One way you might end up with these types of attachments is from a “prospective employee” sending you their resume. If your HR department isn’t careful and doesn’t know what they should be looking for, this attachment can easily be opened and downloaded, leading to a ransomware attack.
Spam filters might also have trouble detecting these emails as spam because they are made to be disguised as regular emails. Many of these emails hide as false receipts, resumes/cover letters, shipping information, or other important information that you might usually be on the look for. Hackers know the type of emails we usually believe to be important, so they design their cyberattacks to take on the same form, in order to trick you into opening their links.
In order to protect yourself and your business from phishing emails, you should first educate your employees and yourself on what to be on the lookout for. You can also implement solutions to prevent these emails from getting through. Teach your employees to never open attachments from unknown senders, even if they may seem normal. They should only open them once they are absolutely certain they have been checked and are safe.
MyTek can help you learn how to avoid phishing emails, and can be the support you need. We can help you filter out dangerous messages with enterprise-level spam blockers and content filters. Reach out to us today at 623-312-2440 to learn more.