If you are like most people, you are probably juggling a million things at work, and when an email pops up from your boss, your instinct is to take it seriously.  Hackers know this, and they're getting good at creating fake emails that look exactly like they're from your manager to get you to make a mistake and give them what they need to access your digital accounts and the data that lies therein. 

You get an email that looks like it's from your team lead, maybe asking you to quickly share a file or update your login info. This message comes from an account you are familiar with; maybe even the same email style that you are used to. Just seeing the name attached to the email might just make you click without thinking. 

They are counting on it. 

Why are they so good at this?

• They play detective - These opportunists often do their homework, checking out social media or your company's website to figure out who's who. This helps them nail the names and even the kind of stuff your boss usually talks about.
• Fake addresses that almost fool you - They can mess with the from address, making it look super close to your boss' real email. It could be one letter off, something you'd easily miss when you're in a hurry.
• The tone is urgent - Phishing emails often try to freak you out, making you think you need to act now before something bad happens. That pressure can make you skip checking if it's real.
• They know what bosses ask for - Whether it's sharing a document or approving a quick expense, they try to make the request seem totally normal for your workplace.

So, how do you not get hooked? Here are five tips you should know that will help keep you and your organization from being the victim of a phishing attack:

• If the tone of an email seems ultra urgent, know that most urgent communications aren’t going to come via email. You’ll want to slow down! If an email feels super urgent or asks for something out of the ordinary—especially involving money or passwords—take a breath. Don't just react.
• Take a long look at the sender’s address; don't just see the name. Actually look at the email address. Any weird spellings or strange website names? That's a red flag.
• Before you click anything, hover your mouse over it. You'll see the actual web address pop up. If it looks suspicious, don’t click on it. Verify first.
• Your company probably has things like multi-factor authentication that you will want to implement if your network administrator hasn’t already.
• Use any cybersecurity training your company offers. It'll help you spot the latest tricks the bad guys are using.

Staying smart about these fake emails is a big deal for keeping yourself and your organization safe. You can dodge those phishing attempts like a total pro by being a little cautious and knowing what to look for.

Want to learn more about how First Column IT helps businesses stay protected from these kinds of sneaky cyberattacks? Give us a shout at (571) 470-5594 today.

‍