Spear-phishing is a common cause of data breaches in today's business world. Targeting specific employees with tailored, authentic-seeming messages, this practice is responsible for the Anthem information crisis, which affected millions of insurance customers. Companies and their HR teams should prepare their employees for hacks and teach workers the tell-tale signs of pop-ups that shouldn't be trusted.
Increase employee knowledge
Spear-phishing successfully infiltrates company networks through clever decoy documents and websites asking for employee credentials. While that alone is alarming, what's more disconcerting is that frequently, workers trust the hackers without question. According to Software Advice, 39 percent of employees opened a phishing email they suspected could be fraudulent.
One of the causes of this action is due to lack of information surrounding what might be featured or requested in a phishing email. Companies can do their part by providing employees with knowledge surrounding the format and data specific to this kind of hack. Encourage workers to consider every email they receive partially suspicious, according to Hot Spot Shield. Teach employees to analyze message tone and content to determine if it matches with the supposed sender. Furthermore, make sure workers are aware of the source of any downloadable attachments that get sent their way. If there is any question, have the worker contact the sender to confirm.
In addition to company email, spear-phishers can use social media messages to gain access to people's sensitive data. Ensure employees are cognizant of messages that ask for immediate action, as hackers may be trying to inflict a sense of urgency in the user.
Details to keep private
Spear-phishing targets important employee credentials, including birth dates, Social Security numbers, passwords and usernames. Businesses should make sure employees know which data should never be shared publicly, CSO reported. While some information may seem harmless, clever criminals are looking for any sign of weakness to jump on. If employees have any questions about what data is able to be shared without threat of hack, encourage workers to talk to HR.
Enforce a policy
Following employee training on spear-phishing, companies should put a plan in place to both avoid a breach and recover from a hack. Tools, like encryption, can help protect sensitive data, as can access controls for certain users. Schedule a date each month when every employee changes his or her password to keep information as secure as possible.
Monitoring employee behavior and utilizing protective software, including anti-virus solutions and firewalls, can protect critical customer data, while ensuring workers don't inadvertently open their system to a breach.
Responding to a hack is also a crucial element to any security policy. Businesses should have a procedure that is able to pinpoint the information that has been targeted. Companies can wipe devices to avoid continued breaches or to cease access to vital data, as well as inform customers and workers of the hack. A contingency plan will ensure enterprises are prepared if a breach occurs.
According to Forrester, internal hacks are the most common type of cyberattacks and 42 percent of breaches were accidental. That's a figure that can be reduced with additional employee training and a data security policy. Companies should give employees all necessary information to detect a possible phisher and reward them for passing on any suspect messages.
HR and workers combining their efforts can help thwart potential hackers and avoid the breach of valuable company data.