Over 90 percent of all successful cyberattacks begin with a phishing scam. That means your biggest cybersecurity risk isn’t an elite hacker breaking through your defenses — it’s someone at your dealership clicking the wrong link. One moment of panic or curiosity can open the door to ransomware, data theft, or a complete system shutdown.
What is Phishing?
Phishing is a social engineering attack in which cybercriminals pose as trusted contacts, such as coworkers, vendors, or familiar companies. The goal is to have you interact with a link, provide sensitive information, or download harmful software. Cybercriminals design these messages to look legitimate and create a sense of urgency or fear to garner a quick response.
Common Signs of a Phishing Email
We’ve touched on why an attacker would want to send a phishing email, but what can this look like? Here’s a list of the more popular indicators you can look out for:
Would you feed the phish?
Sometimes it’s easier to recognize a phishing attempt when you’re watching it happen to someone else. Let’s take a moment to follow Frank as he walks right into a phishing trap.
As you watch, Frank’s missteps may seem very apparent. This simplification was intentional, designed to shine light on a dark situation. Unfortunately, phishing can be extremely difficult to spot in the real world, especially if the hacker has gained access to a legitimate email you interact with regularly. Poorly written spam emails still exist, but they’re no longer the only threat.
Stay a Step Ahead
Phishing attacks prey on human error, but there are practical ways to build a stronger defense. Here are a few best practices:
Awareness and preparation can go a long way when it comes to phishing. By understanding how phishing works and what to look out for, you can help protect your dealership from taking the bait.