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Publish Date
29/04/2024
Categories
Blogs
In the ever-evolving landscape of digital transformation, where businesses and individuals increasingly rely on online platforms for their daily operations and transactions, the risk of falling prey to sophisticated cyber threats has escalated. As a Managed Service Provider (MSP) committed to safeguarding your digital journey, we believe it’s imperative to address a crucial aspect of cybersecurity: the normalisation of discussions around online scams. It’s not a matter of if you might encounter a scam or attack, but when.
Online scams have undergone a dramatic evolution, leveraging advanced technology and psychological tactics to exploit vulnerabilities. These scams range from phishing attempts that mimic trusted entities to elaborate schemes promising high returns on investments. It’s essential to understand that these scams are designed to deceive, making no one immune to their traps, regardless of their level of digital savviness or intelligence.
There’s a pervasive stigma surrounding victims of online scams, often tinged with embarrassment and self-blame. This sentiment stems from a misconception that falling victim to a scam is a sign of naivety. However, the real danger of this stigma lies in its potential to deter victims from reporting these incidents, thereby hindering their recovery process and allowing scammers to operate with impunity.
As your MSP, we are on the front lines of your digital security, and part of our mission is to change the narrative around online scams. Here’s how we’re doing it:
Proactive Communication: We are committed to keeping you informed about the latest scam tactics and preventive measures. Regular updates and educational content are part of our strategy to empower you and your team, ensuring you’re always a step ahead.
Offering Robust Support Systems: Our dedicated support team is here to assist you in the event of a scam. From identifying the breach to navigating the recovery process, we provide the resources and expertise needed to minimize the impact on your operations.
Emphasising the ‘When’ Not ‘If’: We operate under the premise that encountering online scams and attacks is a matter of ‘when’ not ‘if’. This mindset is crucial for developing robust prevention strategies and resilience against potential threats.
Advocating for Transparency and Reporting: Encouraging transparency and prompt reporting of scams within your organisation can significantly mitigate risks. It also plays a vital role in our collective efforts to combat online fraud, enabling us to update our defensive measures in real-time.
Educating your business: We work with leading awareness training companies to provide cost effective training and education, and threat simulations to your employees. We help you prepare for the ‘when’, meaning these threats will go no further.
Managing Your Services: Our management of the products we provide, such as Microsoft 365, Azure, Acronis, and Mimecast & KnowBe4 means that threats are being monitored and dealt with by experts who work in this field day in and day out. They are also the most up-to-date on changes to products and licenses and evolving threats.
Together, by fostering an environment of openness, education, and support, we can strengthen our defences and maintain the integrity of our digital ecosystem. Remember, in the realm of cybersecurity, preparedness and partnership are our most potent weapons.
Publish Date
23/01/2024
Categories
Blogs
In a regular workday, where we can receive hundreds of emails, it can sometimes be difficult to know which ones are legitimate and malicious. Especially when our schedules are full.
Getting an anti-virus or anti-phishing solution is of course essential in the business world these days. A ransomware attack can cost you thousands per day (check out how much you could lose here). But of course, that doesn’t stop a few slipping through the net and into our inboxes, which is why your first line of defence when it comes to cyber attacks, are your employees.
The psychology used within these threats is pretty disturbing. Hackers know that a well-crafted email, seemingly from a trusted ‘HR/IT/Manager,’ can trigger an automatic, almost reflexive response, especially if it has ‘urgent’ in the title. In fact, more than 90% of security breaches involve an error by an employee. Whether it’s forgetting to check an email domain, downloading unverified attachments or opening a URL from an external source, it can be pretty difficult to remind ourselves to double check things in the moment. So how can we change our engrained email habits to become more secure?
The answer lies in awareness through regular interactive training. Addressing cyber threats effectively requires a shift in behavioural patterns, so relying solely on an annual presentation is often not enough. Interactive training like KnowBe4, engages you and your team to respond to cyber threats. Through a library of content including modules, videos, newsletters and games, you can foster a stronger security culture within your business. The ability to forget is also off the cards as regular reminder emails are sent. The best part? With KnowBe4, you can simulate personalised phishing attacks, directly targeting your employees’ inboxes, so you can see the results!
Safeguarding against cyber threats is as much about building a resilient culture as it is about using the right tools. Encouraging a mindset where caution comes before curiosity can make all the difference.
If you’re in a leadership position such as an Owner, CTO, CFO or IT manager, who believes in empowering your team, consider exploring interactive platforms such as KnowBe4 to change your employees’ email habits. Look for solutions that are known for their effectiveness without disrupting the flow of your operations. At Cobweb, we’re known for helping businesses start or continue their cyber security journey. With a multitude of solutions (KnowBe4 just being one), we tailor ourselves to your organisation so that together we can meet your unique security goals. For more advice or information, get in touch with one of our experts here.
Publish Date
02/01/2024
Categories
Blogs
The start of a new year is often seen to be a time for reflection and setting goals. It’s also a time when social media is flooded with posts about new year’s resolutions and the iconic saying of ‘new year, new me’. Unfortunately, while there seems to be no harm in this, it can be easy to forget how effortlessly cyber criminals can take advantage of people’s eagerness to share their personal information online.
We now live in a world where everything is posted to social media. Social engineering is a type of cybercrime that involves psychological manipulation, getting you to hand over confidential information online. And what do these cyber criminals use as their prime source to ‘get to know you’? Social media. So remind yourself and your colleagues when they’re writing up their next LinkedIn caption or post their next job promotion, to think carefully about the information displayed and how it could be used against them.
For businesses, social engineering attacks can be particularly devastating. A single successful attack can result in the loss of sensitive data, financial loss, and damage to the company’s reputation, resulting in customer mistrust.
Make sure your employees are aware of the risks of social engineering attacks and how to identify them. Provide regular training sessions to keep them up to date on the latest threats. More often than not, interactive training software retains information far better than a 20-minute presentation.
Regularly monitor your social media accounts for suspicious activity. If you notice anything unusual, investigate it immediately.
Be careful about what information you share on social media. Do not post sensitive information such as financial data, trade secrets, or customer information.
Whichever social media platform you are on, most will have settings to privatise certain parts of your account. This acts as a barrier to cyber attackers gaining huge amounts of information.
Many employees sign into their social media accounts such as LinkedIn on a work device. Make sure your employees use strong, unique passwords here to decrease the chances of their account becoming hacked. Using a password manager helps to keep track of all the complex passwords they (now don’t) need to remember!
As a business owner or IT manager, it’s crucial to remind your colleagues and employees of the dangers of social engineering. With the start of a new year, it’s an ideal time to make positive changes and step up your online security. While anti-virus and anti-phishing software are essential, your employees are pretty much your first line of defence. Unfortunately, according to email security provider Mimecast, more than 90% of security breaches involve an error by an employee, making it vital to keep them aware of the increasing cyber threats.
Our interactive training software, KnowBe4, provides non-intrusive, regular training to change behaviour and help employees retain information, keeping them up-to-date on the latest threats. Let’s face it, hour-long presentations aren’t going to keep your employees’ attention for long! Reach out to us today to see how we can help your business’s first line of defence – your people.
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