Would You Feed the Phish?

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:  

• A request for sensitive, personal, or financial information 

• An uncharacteristic greeting and/or tone that differs from prior interactions 

• Numerous typos, poor grammar, or unusual sentence structure 

• A misspelled sender email address or domain name 

• An unexpected attachment or link 

• Urgent or threatening language (“Your account will be deactivated!”) 

• The sender is someone you haven’t provided your information to 

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: 

• Update Systems Regularly
  Keep your software up to date to reduce potential vulnerabilities. 

• Backup Your Data
  Encrypt backups and ensure your vendor or provider follows the 3-2-1 rule. Three copies, two types of media, and one offsite. 

• Use Multifactor Authentication
  Add extra layers of security to sensitive accounts to prevent unauthorized access. 

• Enforce Access Controls
  Apply the principle of least privilege! Limit access to data based on necessity. 

• Segment Your Network
  Reduce the spread of threats by isolating critical systems and data. 

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.