Protect Your Business from Phishing: Mastering Email Security

Navigating Email Security Threats: How to Protect Your Business from Phishing Scams

Any form of digital communication can be subject to cybersecurity issues, including secure email accounts. In fact, email security threats can range from technical vulnerabilities and email attacks to social engineering scams like phishing emails. 

Phishing emails, in particular, can pose a major threat to your organization’s sensitive data and information by exploiting one of the biggest vulnerabilities in any digital system—human error. 

Fortunately, by putting safeguards against a phishing attack, you can more effectively protect the sensitive data in your company’s email accounts. Learn how below.

What are phishing scams?

Phishing scams are a type of social engineering, where a scammer tries to trick their target into sharing personal information, such as login credentials or financial details. The scammer will pretend to be a legitimate source, and then use this leverage to request private information. 

Along with using manipulative language in malicious email threats, phishing scammers often use technical tools and fake accounts to make it look like the message is coming from a trustworthy source. They may either ask for information directly or have the target click on a malicious link to gather their details.

Because professional email accounts are often publicly available or easy to find, they’re common targets for phishing attempts and email attacks. For example, someone may get a seemingly secure email communication that appears to be from their employer, instructing them to provide a password or code to reset their account. 

Tech support phishing is another common strategy for scammers that target businesses. In this phishing attempt, they will email employees and urge them to click on a link to take action regarding a technical threat on their account, resulting in a business email compromise. In reality, the scammer is gathering the information they need to access the employee’s email account.

How phishing impacts businesses

In 2022, phishing scams led to over $52 million in losses in the United States alone. With 94% of businesses experiencing phishing attacks, business owners are highly susceptible to damages from phishing.

If even one employee email account gets compromised, hackers could gain access to massive amounts of sensitive customer data. For example, Belgian bank Crelan Bank lost $75.8 million due to a scammer using phishing to infiltrate a single high-level executive’s account. 

But large businesses aren’t the only ones susceptible to these kinds of attacks. Any type of business, from small start-ups to massive organizations, can be at risk of similar losses due to business email compromise. For instance, scammers could use email communication to access sensitive information about your company, your vendors, or your customers—breaching the trust of your stakeholders and damaging your reputation. 

With the prevalence of phishing, implementing multiple protections against email scams is essential.

Tips for guarding against phishing

Because a phishing attempt relies on the target to volunteer sensitive information, you can protect your business from phishing scams with a bit of planning and preparation. Use these email threat protection strategies to make your business less susceptible to phishing and protect your company data:

Train your employees

In order for you and your team to avoid phishing exams, you first need to be able to recognize them. While some scams are easy to spot through poor grammar or suspicious email addresses, other malicious email threats are much more advanced. 

For this reason, it’s important to conduct phishing training to teach anyone using a company email address how to spot more advanced phishing as part of your email security solution. Highlight common characteristics of phishing scams, such as:

• Generic greetings
• Domain names or email accounts that don’t match the official company site
• Urgent or threatening language
• Requests for passwords, usernames, or codes
• Requests for money
• Requests to click on a link

During the training, emphasize the importance of keeping all company login credentials private. Phishing training is also a great opportunity to refresh your team on other email security best practices, like using strong passwords.

Send phishing tests

After email security solutions training, regularly test your employees’ knowledge by sending out phishing tests. These tests are basically emails from your tech support team meant to mimic phishing scams. If any of your team members click on the link or volunteer information, provide them with additional training. 

Activate advanced email security software features

Many email providers have built-in antivirus, hosted email security service, and email security features that can protect against phishing. These features can identify scam emails and send them directly to the trash, preventing them from reaching employees in the first place. 

Another email security solution you can also implement is multi-factor authentication to notify you and your team members if someone is trying to access their account from another device. 

Protect your business accounts and your reputation with Name.com

The best business email providers will prioritize more than functionality—they’ll also prioritize advanced threat protection and security tools to keep your data safe. These email security measures will establish trust with your customers and give you peace of mind when discussing sensitive business information over email. 

Fortunately, Name.com has partnered with trusted business email providers like Titan email and Google Workspace to equip you with industry-standard email security service measures and email threat protection. Start preventing and eliminating phishing attacks on your business as well as managing email overload by exploring Name.com’s email solutions today.

Read More: Google Workspace Pricing: Plans & Costs Explained

Read More: Titan Email Pricing: Affordable & Efficient Business Email Solutions

Sources:

Forbes. Phishing Statistics By State in 2024. https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/phishing-statistics/

Egress. Must-know phishing statistics for 2024. https://www.egress.com/blog/phishing/phishing-statistics-round-up

Check Point. The 5 Most Expensive Phishing Scams of all Time. https://www.checkpoint.com/cyber-hub/threat-prevention/what-is-phishing/the-top-5-phishing-scams-of-all-times/