Spear phishing: What is it and how to avoid it?
2 September 2021
We never tire of saying it: in addition to its incredible advantages, the Internet exposes users to multiple dangers. Millions of cyber-attacks take place every day, some of them ad hoc. In other words, personalised cyber attacks and carried out by the hackers in an intentional way.
Cybercriminals pose as customers, partners, banks and even family members of victims.
In fact, the actions of these hackers include spear phishing, which companies and individuals should be on the alert for. In this article we tell you what spear phishing is and how to avoid it.
The spear phishing or identity theft is a type of cyber-scam that usually occurs via e-mail. Individuals, organisations or companies are its victims.
The aim of this attack is to steal data for malicious purposes.In addition, hackers can install malware on the victim's computer for further espionage. This is a real danger, both on a personal and institutional level.
The modus operandi is usually the same: an emailThe victim is then directed to a fake website containing malware. However, with the advent of the pandemic and the widespread use of the QR codescybercriminals have discovered this other way to capture victims. In the end, the result is the same: reach a web page with malware and be able to extract information from the device, be it a PC or a smartphone.
First of all, spear phishing is a type of personalised cyber phishing. And the fact is that phishing is a type of random cyber-attack.. It is carried out on the basis of a mass mailing.
However, spear phishing is a much more elaborate cyber attack, as it is intentional. Thanks to this technique, the cybercriminal spies on the victim for weeks or months and learns about the victim's online habits.
Passwords, bank codes, images, confidential information... business data, which are totally exposed to this type of cyber-attack.
Here's how to protect your company's data from a possible spear phishing attack.
First of all, the company's computers need to be up-to-date and secure. That is, within these devices, to have an effective antivirus, which protects the computer from malware and anti-spam software.
Having the latest patches is very important to prevent hacker attacks.
Although it may seem obvious, not everyone is aware that clicking on certain links or downloading certain files can be harmful.
Thus, we would like to appeal to common sense and reiterate that, in case of any doubt about the suspicious origin of a file in a message, IT security professionals should be consulted.
In addition to establishing habits, such as those mentioned above, among the employees of a company, it is essential to leave IT security in the hands of professionals. The cybersecurity experts are in great demand in all types of organisations as, thanks to their experience and studies, they establish the most secure and reliable cyber protection strategy.
Incorporate new IT security policies and practicesThe use of a secure server, as well as educating employees, are necessary measures to protect your company's data from cyber criminals.
Finally, to mitigate a spear phishing attack, it is essential to raise awareness of its importance among workers.. For this purpose, a specialised training for companies cybersecurity is becoming essential.
One click by an employee can have serious consequences for an entire company. With data theft, hackers reveal sensitive information for the institution (customers, bank details, content, etc.), which can lead to huge losses for the institution.
Providing specific cyber-security training is therefore a priority. At IMMUNE we carry out tailor-made programmes, which we adapt to the needs of each organisation.. Contact us and we will provide you with what you are looking for.
Also, if you are looking for become a computer security expert or you want to learn more, we recommend our Cybersecurity Bootcamp and the Master's Degree in Cybersecurity.