In phishing attacks, even one wrong mouse click can cause millions in damage. Here are four tips to help employees make the right decision if the worst comes to the worst OntinueHow companies can raise awareness among their workforce and improve security architecture.
With increasingly intelligent applications, cybercriminals are trying to undermine companies' security systems and infiltrate internal IT. While phishing attempts were comparatively easy to detect just a few years ago, social engineering today simulates seemingly genuine requests from colleagues or customers - often using stolen or fake identities, which make detection increasingly difficult. There are AI-supported tools on board that increase the efficiency of cybercriminals and increase the number of attacks. Phishing prevention is therefore more relevant than ever. Ontinue gives four tips that companies can use to arm themselves.
4 tips for more awareness of phishing
Regular training
For most people, regular security warnings trigger one thing above all else – habituation. This so-called alert fatigue leads to exactly the opposite of the desired effect: employees become desensitized and take risks lightly. Regular training that raises awareness of phishing attempts therefore makes an important contribution to cybersecurity. IT security teams can, for example, raise awareness among employees through unannounced phishing tests in various channels and processes or inform them about new developments through regular training.
Internal IT guidelines
From the private use of professional IT to remote work on public networks – the separation between work and everyday life is becoming increasingly blurred for many employees. This creates new risks for cybersecurity, which require not only greater awareness but also clear internal guidelines. For example, companies must define which admin and installation rights employees have or for what purposes the IT may be used. Monitoring the devices used with endpoint detection and response solutions (EDR) also enables early detection of incidents when employees install malware or use unsafe networks.
Intelligent processes
Opened carelessly or approved quickly - even experienced experts are not immune to phishing attempts if the trigger point appeals to them or they follow routine procedures. With sensibly placed multi-factor authentication or an extended data sharing loop, IT managers can integrate additional safety nets into work processes. This ensures that employees' subconscious work processes are interrupted. This increases the likelihood of detecting phishing attempts in good time.
Unbureaucratic reporting
If the malware has found its way into the company's IT, there is only one effective countermeasure: active and quick action by the Security Operations Center (SOC). The less time it takes for the security team to be informed of the incident, the faster systems can be isolated and the damage limited. An unbureaucratic reporting system and a modern error culture are therefore essential to ensure that employees report suspicious activities immediately and do not try to cover something up for fear of consequences. This also means continually learning from risks and mistakes.
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About Ontinue
Ontinue, the expert in AI-powered Managed Extended Detection and Response (MXDR), is a XNUMX/XNUMX security partner headquartered in Zurich. To continuously protect its customers' IT environments, assess and continuously improve their security posture, Ontinue combines AI-driven automation and human expertise with the Microsoft security product portfolio. Through the intelligent, cloud-based Nonstop SecOps platform, Ontinue's protection against cyber attacks goes far beyond the basic detection and response services.