It’s the Christmas season. And that means online shopping – and online scams – are on the rise. Unfortunately, almost half of those asked in a recent study admitted they’d fallen for online shopping scams. So, if your team members are using their work devices for a little last-minute Christmas shopping, they could be putting your business at risk of a cyberattack.
According to new research, a whopping 47% of people have clicked on links thinking they were getting a great deal, but actually ended up giving sensitive personal and financial details to cyber criminals.
That means your people could not only be putting their own data and money at risk, but your devices – and even your network – could be exposed as well.
And it’s more than just shopping scams that are tricking people online: 36% of people have fallen for phishing attacks and were fooled into clicking on links and revealing personal data. (Phishing is a scam in which a person receives an email that appears to be from a person or brand they trust, but is from cyber criminals.) The same number have been victims of gift card scams, in which criminals gain their trust to persuade them to buy fake online vouchers or gift cards.
If an employee clicks on a malicious link or downloads an infected file while using their work device, it could end up being devastating for a business. Not to mention the risks of losing data and harming a company’s reputation, the downtime costs can be enough to put them out of business for good.
So how can you be sure your business it protected from these types of scams – now, and throughout the year?
Make sure you have the right cybersecurity tools in place – such as firewalls, antivirus software, and strong password management. You should also focus on training your employees, as the best line of defense is a team of people that can recognize a threat when they see one.
Keep your people aware of the latest scams and what warning signs to look out for. Advise them to err on the side of caution and check to ensure links are genuine and websites are authentic…and if an offer looks too good to be true, it probably is.
Have a strong security response plan that will go into effect the moment a breach is detected. Ensure all employees know to immediately report any incidents, as well as who they should inform and how. Often, the quicker action is taken after a data breach, the less of an impact it has and the faster and less expensive it is to fix.
As always, if you’d like further help or advice, contact us and talk with one of our cybersecurity experts.
Published with permission from Your Tech Updates.
