KB ID 0001491
Written By: Joseph Gojo Cruz
The basic steps you use in protecting your computer, such as an antivirus program, are important in avoiding phishing scams. Additional security measures include reviewing SSL certificates, building a firewall, and implementing an anti-phishing software.
An anti-phishing software helps you test your employees on how they will react when there’s a phishing attack. In using an anti-phishing software, you could create different kinds of phishing emails that you could send to your employees, the purpose of this kind of software is to help educate your employees about the most up-to-date phishing lures in the internet.
Once they experienced the different kinds of phishing scams with the help of an anti-phishing software, they will be able to recognize phishing scams and will have enough knowledge on how to fight it and prevent it in the future. With the help of digital age nowadays, many quality anti-phishing softwares are now available online, you can look for the reviews to know more info about the softwares and choose which one you think is the best option.
For obvious reasons, credit card safety and sensitive data protection are why you have to implement an anti-phishing software. But how does it really benefit you as a user?
Importance of Anti-Phishing Programs
With the increase in phishing scams reported every year, it’s high time business owners reconsider implementing the latest security features and tools in their database. Below are some important facts about phishing according to the AntiPhishing.org and NGS Software:
- August, 2005 recorded 13,776 phishing scams connected to 5,259 sites.
- Phishing attacks have targeted 84 companies, three of them suffered 80% of the fraud.
- 85% of phishing attacks were targeted to financial entities, like banks.
- Unfortunately, the phishers succeeded in illegally obtaining personal and sensitive details from almost 5% of the victims.
- A staggering 57 million of internet users in the US have experienced phishing emails, while 1.7 million of them fell victim to the phishing attacks.
Now you know how crucial it is for businesses and credit card users to protect their data at all times. The more you secure your data, the lower your risk of falling victim to fraudsters.
Here are some tips if you think a phisher has obtained your sensitive details:
- Immediately report the incident to the bank, credit or lending institution which your personal details have been disclosed.
- Let the company or entity that was phished know about the incident.
- Notify the Equifax, TransUnion, or Experian so they’ll take action.
- Report it to a local police office.
- Also, send word to the Federal Trade Commission or Federal Bureau of Investigation so they are informed of the case.
Changing your PIN or passwords is also an important step to secure other accounts that may have been connected to the exposed data.
With the different kinds of cyber crimes that’s happening right now, you should never be complacent that your cyber security measures are enough to combat cyber attacks. Never underestimate how cyber criminals work and always be the one who is a step ahead of the game. Phishing might be simple at first look but with all the records that were shown, it is one of the most known cyber crime that businesses fall into. Always strive to be a phishproof business. In that way, your customers are secured that their personal information will never be compromised and fall into the hands of hackers.
Takeaway
Governments and companies are doing their best to stop phishing attacks. However, efforts seem not to be enough to deter phishers and other cyber criminals from accessing private and personal information online. So the best way to protect yourself from phishing is to implement an anti-phishing software.
Software and tools that secure personal data are effective in fighting phishing scams. When your data is secure, you can have peace of mind and confidence when dealing with online payment methods.
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