Fraudsters and cybercriminals are coming up with increasingly sophisticated ways of targeting businesses. Telephone and mail spoofing are now becoming an increasingly popular method of fraudulently obtaining data and funds.
It seems that these attempts have become a significant issue with the mainstream media finally picking up on mail spoofing. Both the Telegraph and the BBC have both reported on these and hopefully the increased awareness with help to ensure that no other businesses are tricked in this way and that security is tightened up.
IT Security & Mail Spoofing Tips
1. Use a robust password (ideally alphanumeric with special characters) – it protects against hacking software that churns out passwords until it discovers the correct one.
2. Change passwords regularly and use different ones for different applications/websites. This means if one gets hacked you are not open to attack across multiple sites and services. We know this can be a bind but it’s actually safer to physically write down your passwords and keep them in a drawer at home or work than use the same one on every site you visit.
3. Avoid clicking on embedded links in suspicious emails and certainly in emails from people/sources you do not recognise. They may contain malware to gain control of your computer and security details.
4. In NO circumstance give any personal details over the phone to people ringing you up. Recently there has been a spate of bogus calls, texts and mail spoofs from people pretending to be from Microsoft stating you have problems with your PC – they just want to gain control of your PC to get your personal/bank details for fraudulent purposes.
5. Carry out regular IT security audits on all software and devices (e.g. Internet Security, Anti-Virus, Windows Updates etc.)
6. Always double-check if an email is legitimate if it’s asking for a payment to be made. Phone up your boss or finance head before making a payment.
Of course, Akita are always on hand to protect your network and answer any queries you may have so if you are in any doubt, our customers can contact us any time.
We can also check the likelihood of your staff falling for one of these measures with our phishing testing service.
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