Monday, December 9, 2013

Phishing Infographic: Don't Get Hooked!

By now, most folks are aware of phishing emails—or at the very least, that social engineers use email to steal average people's sensitive information. Yet, we are continually surprised that the how and why of phishing still eludes many average folks. What do phishing emails look like? How would someone get information from me through an email? What could a social engineer do with that information?

Some folks just respond better to pictures and diagrams. So...voila! Our first foray into the world of infographics, and what is hopefully the first of many.



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Employee Training: Out of the Box

As a training company, this is just one more way for Sight Training to encourage folks to do their homework—and by homework, we mean doing a little extra checking before you hand over sensitive information through a phishing email. Your credit card number, SSN, and bank information are yours and no one else's. Guard them at all cost. 

And remember: emails are just digital versions of the in-the-flesh thieves who are behind them. They can dress up and look impressive. They can be cool, casual, and persuasive. And they can pull off an official posture with approved logos and embedded links that mimic real websites. Here are a few more tips:
  1. Remember: stranger danger! Don't know who sent it? Don't open it.
  2. Be wary of attachments. 
  3. Ignore commands and requests for action—no matter how urgent they may seem.
  4. Use the phone. Try contacting the sender by telephone. If the email is from your “bank,” then you should be able to get the truth pretty quickly. And if you cannot get in touch with the sender, then delete the email and forget about it.
Slow down, take a deep breath, and think about what you are doing before you offer it up to a social engineer on a silver platter.

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