Protecting Your Business From An Increase In Phishing Scams
Topics: business network security, computer network security, data security, information technology consulta
Banks have been merged, acquired, and taken over at a completely unprecedented rate in the previous few months.
The bank that your business opened an account with may be called something different now, the look of your cheques and statements may have changed, and your mortgage may belong to a bank other than the one you signed up with now.
There are millions of people who legitimately have to make payments to different financial providers now, and all of this serves to compromise data security, and make information technology consultants and it security managers the first line of defense against increasing phishing scams.
One of the main ways that phishing scams have traditionally been identified is by ‘look’. Businesses are used to the legitimate appearance of their bank’s website, and if they receive an email that asks for personal information, but just doesn’t quite look right, they have generally followed their instincts to safety.
IT consultants advise businesses that they should not respond to emails asking for personal information, or to click on links in messages to access internet banking facilities. Many banks advise that they will never ask for personal details to be given via email, and say that customers should open a new browser window and type in their internet banking address directly, with no other windows open, to do their business banking.
However, the trusting nature of many in business has landed them in trouble recently.
Information technology consultants are also warning of a related computer network security breach possibility, known as spearfishing.
Related, of course, to ordinary ‘phishing’, spearfishing involves hackers obtaining copies of company emailing lists, then sending out official looking requests for employee information.
Individual investment companies are also at risk from a related cyber crime phenomenon known as ‘pump and dump’, where criminals have penetrated client stock exchange accounts, using them to run up the prices of low-liquidity stocks, and then dumping them from their personal accounts.
Your business can now rely less on the instinctive ‘look’ of a site to help protect against phishing fraud. However, it can always rely on the tried and true methods recommended by IT consultants to ensure business network security and data security.
These include NEVER entering personal information on sites that you have accessed through an email link. There are plenty of tricks, as IT security consultants know, that can make it look that you are on one website, when in fact you are not.
Even cutting and pasting links is not surefire way to ensure safety, and neither is typing in a link manually. Ask your business network security consultant about the latest in anti-virus and anti-spyware software.
These remain one of the most potent weapons in the defence against botnets and other email borne viruses that aim to compromise data security. Your local federal government likely has a phishing report service, which your information technology consultant will be able to advise you about.
Make sure you forward phishing emails to these addresses, to help stop other people and businesses being caught out.
Also be aware in business that Voice Over Internet Protocols can allow phone numbers to be redirected to other areas. You may unwittingly compromise your data security by phone. Your IT security management service will tell you to call the number on your statement to ensure you are speaking to an authorised representative.
You should also have someone in your business review your financial statements as soon as they arrive. Many financial institutions have a protection policy against unauthorized transactions, however if your statements sit there for longer than 30 days, your protection may cease.
Also, the sooner a transaction is detected, the better chance there is to track the thief down.
www.datacraft-asia.com - The leading independent IT services and solutions company in Asia Pacific. Datacraft combines an expertise in networking, security, Microsoft solutions, storage and contact centre technologies to craft IT solutions for businesses.
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