Things To Do To Defend Against Spear Phishing
Phishing is a way to extract confidential data from individuals and businesses. Mostly by creating fake Web pages or send emails to disclose login names, passwords, credit card information, etc. Once cybercriminals have the data that they are looking for, they can easily steal money and personal information from the poor victims. Cybercriminals also deploy malware which installs itself on the target computer, whose purpose is often to break into corporate networks and steal confidential data, but in severe cases, it tries to destroy important information if no ransom payment is paid by the victim.
Phishing that pulls information from a specific predefined target is called “spear phishing.” Attackers skillfully use persuasive information such as names, family structure, and friendships in order to extract information that can be used for crime from targets and open attachments, but in cyberspace, criminals misuse. There are plenty of trails of online activity that are convenient for them.
So the first trick is to act nervously cautiously online and be aware of the risks at all times. In other words, messages that seem to be harmless at first seem to be suspicious. It’s difficult to compete with good social engineering tricks, but that doesn’t mean it’s okay to neglect that in today’s cyberspace. You should be wary of any attachments or links, even those that appear to come from a trusted source. If there are any suspicious points, you should ask the sender to see if it really is a message from that person.
This is what criminals are doing to make the attack a success. In other words, it gathers surrounding information and personal data and makes the target’s alertness dull. So the second tip is not to reveal personal data in social network public profiles. Avoid situations in which personal data is abused and your own disadvantage.
You may not think you will be targeted, but there is also the possibility that you are being targeted by criminals right now. For example, posting a picture of a vacation trip or checking in at a location away from home could teach a criminal an excellent opportunity to break into an away home and steal valuables.
Also, it is better to avoid the publication of telephone numbers unless it is absolutely necessary. It may make you trust you, as a criminal while impersonating someone who knows your phone number. Banks seldom ask for a card number over the phone, but it could be a criminal.
Attackers who use spear-phishing use their knowledge to convince their target. Somehow they try to get a user’s a password and unfortunately it succeeds.
The lesson to be learned is don’t use personal information such as pet’s name, address or phone number for a password. Because much of that data is available online, it doesn’t bother the offenders.
Use a strong password (per account) and change it regularly. It is also desirable to use a two-step certification. With password management software, you can significantly reduce the burden of this task.
In this digital age, it is difficult to completely eliminate spear phishing attacks. However, security technology can be used to provide a significant level of protection.
So the fourth tip is to use an appropriate security product on both your computer and your mobile device and keep it as up-to-date as any other software you have installed. If you install OS and application patches and updates as soon as they are released, you can prevent malicious attacks that take advantage of recently discovered vulnerabilities.
In enterprise networks, real-time web traffic monitoring and email sandboxing also help mitigate attacks. Combining these features can dramatically reduce spear phishing.
Because threats are constantly evolving, employee education on security issues must be continued. Regular security training for employees should be conducted, especially for large companies.
The fifth tip is advice for security officers at large companies. Conduct penetration testing as an important part of security education. Unfortunately, employees always make mistakes online. But fortunately, employees can learn from it.
Conduct a simulation similar to a real spear-phishing attack on employees. If security weaknesses can be found in a desktop battle according to the scenario, you can identify the points to be corrected in strengthening defense against the actual battle threat.
Finally, it should be remembered that there is no such thing as 100% security, whether online or offline. However, with risk grasping, vigilance, high-quality security products, and education, and proper operation including rules, it will be possible to approach 100% as much as possible.
Source: https://www.techrepublic.com/article/how-to-prevent-spear-phishing-attacks-8-tips-for-your-business/#ftag=RSS56d97e7
Also, Read:
Elements Of A Well Researched Phishing Attempt
London Blue Cybergang List 50,000 execs for Phishing Attacks
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