There has been a rise in phishing and fraud campaigns due to the rapid shift of remote workers this year. Cyber criminals feed off of vulnerable people, and with employees working on unsecure networks, there has been a significant increase in attacks. There have even been phishing scams disguised as COVID-19 relief fundraising emails as a way for attackers to take advantage of people’s generosity during a turbulent time.

Tactics such as phishing have continued to advance as technology itself advances, and with people working remote, it’s important to understand how to effectively address phishing and fraud. In this blog, we’ve put together four ways security teams and businesses can mitigate digital risk to keep their employees and assets safe.

Educate

Being educated about phishing, scams or other fraud campaigns is vital for the safety of any organization or individual. It’s important for IT and security teams to periodically update user training to account for the ever-changing threat landscape. It’s also important for organizations to train employees to see the warning signs of fraud across all platforms. Conducting proper training and implementing best practices for safe use of digital platforms will not only protect against attacks, but can also protect the reputation of an organization.

Identify Gaps

As cyber-attacks continue to wreak havoc on digital platforms, security teams need to ensure they have the right tools in place in order to address those threats. Having visibility into all platforms – i.e. social networks, websites, collaboration tools, email, etc. is important in order to identify where a threat might occur. Avoid the damage and don’t wait to identify gaps in your security plan after an attack occurs.

Determine What Makes You a Target

Security teams and organizations must identify vulnerabilities, or what could cause an attacker to specifically target you. Mapping out your digital footprint can help determine why you’re being targeted, and should be a routine procedure.

Develop a Strategy

This step is not one to skip. Organizations should have a comprehensive strategy in place in order to reduce risk and avoid threats before they happen. Your strategy should detail and include information around what types of attacks cyber criminals can take toward your organization, what platforms are most vulnerable, and the risk ratings.

Every organization’s goal is to protect their employees and assets. There are some companies that are more vulnerable these days, and the reliance on social, mobile and digital channels to conduct business has created more opportunities for threats to take place. It’s vital for security teams and organizations as a whole to take the necessary precautionary measures to prevent and disrupt those attacks from happening in the first place.