Phishing has been one of
the most effective tools for cyber criminals. They are one of the most common
security challenges that both individuals and companies face in keeping their
information secure. Businesses are the most targeted. Phishing scams are known
to have started around the year 1995 and they have grown fiercer with time. Phishing
scams are among the most prevalent forms of cybercrime, especially in the UK. By
using fraudulent websites and false emails, penetrators attempt to steal all
our personal data, most commonly passwords and credit card details. Some of the
sites spoofed most regularly include PayPal, eBay, Yahoo and also many
financial websites. Don’t be under a false impression that a mail received from
a bank cannot contain viruses in it.
How to protect yourself
against phishing
1.
Be wary
of emails asking for confidential information
Legitimate organisations never
request sensitive information via email. Even if any such email is received it
is better to confirm from the bank authorities before actually typing in your
personal details.
2.
Don't get
forced into providing sensitive information
Phishers like to use tactics,
and may threaten to disable an account until you update certain information. It
is better to directly contact the merchant to confirm about the authenticity.
3.
Make sure
you familiarise yourself with a website's privacy policy
Most of the websites have a
privacy policy rules mentioned at the end of the page. Go through this policy
and know about the company’s rules and how your information will be used,
whether you will face any kind of danger or not.
4. Never
submit confidential information via forms
Sometimes forms are embedded
within emails that can prove out to be harmful. Senders of these mails are able
to keep a track of all the information that you have entered.
5. Never use links in an
email, make sure they are authentic
Often a phishing website will look identical
to the original one. Thus look at the address bar to confirm that you are not
being tricked.
There are multiple steps
a company or an individual can take to protect against phishing. They must keep
a check on their current phishing strategies and confirm their security
policies and solutions. It is equally important for every individual to
understand what is? Phishing and the types of attacks they may face, the risks
and how to address them. Informed individuals and secured systems are the key
when protecting your company from phishing attacks. Thus in order to remain
protected you are advised to install a good Antivirus software.
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