Ferrum Technology Services Blog

Phishing scams are a topic we frequently discuss on this blog. In their simplest form, they are emails or messages sent that are designed to steal from you or gain access to computers or networks. One such scam uses the moniker of the popular IT support company Geek Squad, a subsidiary of Best Buy, to steal from its victims. Here’s how you can avoid falling for these tricks.

Phishing messages are one of the scarier threats out there, especially when you consider that they force you to be on edge about most messages you receive, regardless of how sound they might appear to be. Thankfully, there are various telltale signs that you can look for when analyzing the messages you receive on a daily basis that can clue you in on some of the more suspicious phishing messages.

Using email to trick users is something that hackers have done for ages, but they usually find themselves tucked away in the spam folder where they belong, or blocked entirely by enterprise-level content filters. Hackers, however, are a crafty lot, and they have discovered ways to break through these measures through the use of a surprising third party: social media websites.

It’s the holiday season, and with it comes a multitude of hackers trying to cash in on everyone’s online purchases. These phishing scams always increase when the holiday season comes around, so it’s best to stay vigilant so that you don’t give yourself the gift of sadness this year. One such threat is already here, and it’s voice spoofing of Amazon orders.

Phishing scams have been around for a long time, and they have only grown more convincing and more dangerous. Some businesses can’t even tell the difference between phishing scams and legitimate messages! How can your organization take the fight to phishing emails? It all starts with knowing what to look out for.

Phishing attacks are a major problem that all businesses must be prepared to handle. Sometimes it comes in the form of messages or web pages designed to steal information from your employees, but other times it might come in the form of phone calls asking for IP addresses or network credentials under the guise of your IT department. It’s especially important that your staff members understand how to identify these tricks, and it all starts with phishing training.

We get more email correspondence than ever. Unfortunately, many of these messages are spam. Some are even worse: Phishing attempts looking to fool you into providing information that can be used to infiltrate your business account or network. This month, we thought we would go over some of the telltale signs that you are dealing with a probable phishing attempt and how to properly manage the loads of spam you get in your inbox each day. 

Hackers are a crafty bunch. They will use any and all means to infiltrate businesses, including some that are downright shameful. One of the most devastating ways that hackers make these attempts is through the use of phishing attacks, or attacks where they essentially trick users to click on links in emails or hand over confidential information.

Hackers are always taking advantage of others’ misfortunes, and they have even gone so far as to leverage the COVID-19 pandemic in efforts to launch phishing attacks. How have hackers utilized this worldwide disaster to their benefit, and what can we do to keep our organizations secure in this troubling time? Let’s find out.

For many businesses, email plays a crucial role in the dissemination of information. Whether it is simply interacting with clients or pushing directions to individuals, email is a simple and efficient way to communicate. One problem that organizations are running into is that individuals are being inundated with social engineering messages called phishing. This strategy is causing major operational problems for businesses, from malware to data breaches to extended downtime. Let’s identify what exactly phishing is and how it is used to the detriment of many businesses and other organizations.

We will never pass up the opportunity to draw attention to the importance of cybersecurity awareness, as it is a crucial element for any business to consider. One serious issue that has caused significant stress amongst businesses is phishing. Let’s consider some recent statistics to evaluate where we stand right now, specifically in terms of the prevalence of phishing attacks.

While last year saw a significant decrease in its number of data breaches, the number of records that were leaked doubled… and then some. Part of this can likely be attributed to a spike in the use of ransomware, indicating a resurgence in interest of the mean-spirited malware. This means that your business may very well see more ransomware infection attempts coming its way—the only question is, are your team members prepared for them?

While phishing awareness is an important practice to teach to a business’ employees, some methods are better than others, as GoDaddy—the domain registrar and web-hosting company notorious for its run of risqué ads—is learning the hard way. On December 14, GoDaddy’s employees received an email that seemed to be a holiday bonus from the company… only to find out (the hard way) that it was a phishing test that their employer had run.

Phishing attacks are growing in number and it presents a major challenge for businesses. The many different forms that these attacks come in just exacerbates the problem. Today, we will take a brief look at phishing to help you educate your staff on what they entail and how to mitigate the massive risk that comes with them. 

Business success is often tied to the quality of your business relationships. There are a lot of people you need to trust: your vendors to get you whatever supplies you need, your team to complete their responsibilities without letting in threats, and your customers to turn to you for what they need. Unfortunately, cybercriminals are willing to take advantage of such trust to accomplish their own ends.

Phishing attacks are a very common threat nowadays. Between the classic message from a supposed Nigerian Prince to a sudden and urgent email from the bank with attachment in tow, we’ve all seen our share of them. That’s the trick to stopping them—being able to spot them. Let’s go over five signals that a message may be a phishing attempt.

While businesses have always needed to focus on their data security, the COVID-19 pandemic has only made this more of a challenge. Let’s go over why this is, and how many industries (especially the healthcare industry) have had to adjust as a result.

Ransomware has been a real problem for the past several years. This is a result of a shift in the ways hackers approach their craft. Once known for breaching networks directly, the establishment of uncrackable encryption left hackers looking to change their strategies. Today, they use scams to get people to give them access to network resources. If they are successful, it can deliver more than headaches for a business. Let’s look at what makes ransomware so dangerous and how your company can combat the constant attacks that come your way. 

Human beings are naturally inquisitive creatures, which makes it all the easier for us to be convinced of different things. Cereal mascots promise wild flavors that will send kids on a Mom-approved adventure, magazine covers promise countless sure-fire ways to be rid of that stubborn belly fat, and—more sinisterly—phishing attacks promise to be something that they are not. As hackers have found, this tactic has proven to be worth investing time in.

“Hello sir/ma’am, I am a member of royal [sic] family and I am in grave danger in my country. If you send me money to get out safely, I will share my great riches with you as reward.”

Scams like this one have become a punchline for many, which makes you wonder why they are still commonly used by cybercriminals. As it turns out, there’s a very compelling reason that they do so, one that’s been known for years.