Published on July 20th, 2019 | by Sunit Nandi

5 Pro IT Tips To Protect Yourself Against Phishing Attacks

Cybercrime costs $6 trillion annually, and about 91% of these attacks start with phishing. This data is an unambiguous reminder that criminals are targeting online users globally by phishing for unsuspecting victims. The manipulation by scammers to gain access to personal information is so deceitful that even IT professionals are falling for the trickery. Cyber security is such a major issue that as seen in their competitor reviews, https://bctconsulting.com/m-cubed-technologies/ , It’s a staple of every IT company.

How Phishing Attacks Start

Phishing generally starts with an email that you think is from a business associate, a friend, or a trusted source. Once you click on the click attached in an email, the criminal has control over your email account and every contact you have. Most people also tend to use the same passwords, so they can log into all your financial institutions before moving on to your contacts.

1. Be Cognizant When Checking Emails Or Messages

Being more cognizant of received communication is the first defense against phishing. When checking your emails, never click on links or reply to messages until you know they are legitimate. Furthermore, if you get an email from a recognized business entity, use an alternative form of communication to reply, such as phone or website access.

2. Look At The Sender’s Email Addy Or Link

One of the easiest ways to identify a phishing scheme is by paying attention to the sender’s links. Often, they use links like bitly to make you think the request is genuine. Click on the sender’s name to see the address that sent the communication. You will see it is not written as it usually would be if legitimate. The links always have tell-tale signs.

3. Look For Suspicious Language

An easy way to identify phishing scams is by the language they use. There will be typos, grammar fluctuations, informal greetings, and words that are capitalized to get your attention. Real companies will only send professionally written correspondence and will not ask you to respond with personal information. Cybercriminals also work on perfecting their written statements, so don’t fall for a con that is hoping you take the phishing bait.

4. Urgency Of Sender Request

Urgency is also a technique that makes people think an immediate reply is needed for the request. While businesses sometimes need you to contact them by a specific date, they will never ask you to reply with personal information or payment data. Look for threats like your account will be closed, subject to heavy fines, or high collection costs.

5. Don’t Use Unsecured HTTP Sites

Always use secure websites. You can tell which are protected because they will have a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) address in the browser along with a lock symbol. You must also avoid unsecured public internet connections when performing any transaction that needs personally identifiable information. If in doubt, wait until you are back home.

Never click on any correspondence that seems scammy. Also, reject any offers that seem too good to be true. Legitimate companies will never ask you for any information or to reply via email. Use spam filters, anti-virus software, and anti-phishing tools to keep you safe online.

Tags: attacks, phishing, Pro, protect, tips

About the Author

Sunit Nandi I'm the leader of Techno FAQ. Also an engineering college student with immense interest in science and technology. Other interests include literature, coin collecting, gardening and photography. Always wish to live life like there's no tomorrow.