Employees are usually the weak link in a cyber security strategy. A phishing simulation guards your business against social engineering threats. This is carried out by training your employees to identify these threats and report them.
What is a phishing attack?
A phishing attack is a form of a cyber attack. The fraudster attempts to trick the individual into revealing sensitive information. This could be banking details, usernames, passwords, or other personal information. You might be wondering why the name ‘phishing’? Just like a fisher uses bait to lure a fish, similarly a fraudster lures you in pretending to be something they are not. This is typically (but not always) done through impersonating an authoritative and trustworthy source.
What is a phishing simulation?
A phishing simulation is a means to train and educate employees surrounding cyber attacks. More specifically, this awareness training technique is centered to educate employees not to fall for a phishing attack. The simulation involves placing the employee in a real situation where the simulation creates a scenario. This scenario will mimic a real-world phishing attack. This will be carried out through sending fake emails, links, or messages that entice the employee to provide personal information. As mentioned previously, this could be bank details, usernames, passwords or other personal information. In addition to real-world scenarios, awareness education can also be carried out through online training videos and quizzes.
How does it work and what is its purpose?
The phishing simulation works through helping employees to recognise phishing attacks, avoid them, and know to report them. As part of the employees training, it equips them with the dangers of social engineering. It will educate them to detect attacks and take action. The training will show employees what they must be made aware of. This is subtle clues that can be found in emails, text messages, voice messages and more.
The purpose of the simulation is to educate and better protect the company. It helps establish where the employee needs more cyber security training and awareness. For example, an employee may know not to click on a suspicious text message or believe a phone scam trying to steal their money. But that same employee may fall victim to a fake email. This could be an email from a well-known company like Amazon, except the email is ‘@arnazon’. The ‘r’ and the ‘n’ together can look like they form a ‘m’, pretending to be Amazon. This tricks many people and can cause people to believe the email is genuinely from Amazon. It will likely include a link where they will be asked to fill out their information.
Therefore, teaching employees’ elements like the above is crucial so they don’t fall victim of phishing attacks. Contact us for help in training your employees.
Should your company perform a phishing simulation?
Absolutely yes. Performing a phishing simulation can not only benefit your employees, but also your business. Phishing attacks are becoming increasingly sophisticated, and the attack techniques are fooling more people. It only takes one employee to fall victim to a phishing attack, of which this could place your business at risk. These risks could be financial loss, data loss, or plain embarrassment. Phishing simulations protect your business by stopping potentially devastating attacks from slipping through your security gates.
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How Cambridge Support can help
Partnering with our sister company Cambridge IT Security we conduct cyber security awareness trainings for local businesses. For specific Phishing training contact Cambridge Phishing. Online training can also be offered. Please contact us today to discover how we can better protect your company.