Important Steps to Avert a Phishing Attack on Your Mutual
One of the most prevalent cybersecurity threats is phishing, and everyone is a target. Phishing is “the practice of tricking Internet users (as through the use of deceptive email messages or websites) into revealing personal or confidential information which can then be used illicitly.”
Signs of a Phishing Attempt
Common indicators of phishing are:
- You’re asked to act quickly
- The sender instructs you to do something different than usual
- You weren’t expecting the message
- The message includes a link or attachment
- There is poor grammar or spelling
- You’re asked to make a payment by clicking on a link
- You’re asked to provide your Social Security Number or information about your bank account or credit card
Please note that WRC will never send you our banking-related information or ask you to provide that information for your company via email. If you do receive a communication from WRC with this request, please contact someone you know at WRC immediately to verify the request.
Tips to Prevent Phishing
Taking certain steps can reduce your risk:
- Be wary of every email you receive — take your time reading it and avoid multi-tasking
- Don’t click on links or attachments without first verifying that it’s a legitimate message
- Don’t reply to the suspicious email
- Contact the sender directly through other trusted means, not through contact information provided in the message (do not use contact information in a signature line)
- Hover over links to check legitimacy
- Examine the sender’s email address to look for accurate spelling and consistency with previous communications
- Closely review URLs and check for correct spelling
- Consider the message’s tone to ensure it’s consistent with previous communications
Additional Steps
Other methods to avert a phishing attempt are:
- Secure your inbox with Multi-Factor Authentication
- Install antivirus software
- Consider using a password manager tool
- Use passphrases rather than passwords
- Set up a different passphrase/password for each system, website and account
- Create strong passphrases/passwords with at least 14 characters that include a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols
By knowing what to look for, carefully examining every communication and following widely recommended security measures, you can significantly reduce the chances of becoming the victim of a phishing attack.