Email Phishing remains the number one way cybercriminals infiltrate company networks. Eighty percent of businesses in the US are not able to recover from a cyberattack. Yet, most companies only provide 30 minutes of phishing training a year to their employees. If you’re not convinced you should invest in phishing training, ask yourself how long your business can operate if your network is down? Can you afford to pay a ransomware attack?
Cybercriminals continue to become more and more creative in their approach to email phishing. Some recent examples include phony billing notices or links to voicemail messages. Unfortunately, malware can go undetected for months – if at all – before your team is locked out of your network and your business comes to a crashing halt. Even if you are able to recover your data, you should consider the damage a breach can do to your company’s reputation, especially if you collect personal data or credit card information from your clients.
If your email is hacked, it’s important to act quickly to minimize damage and regain control. Here are the Top 10 Things You Should Do if Your Email Is Hacked:
- Change Your Password: Immediately change your email password to something strong and unique. Use a combination of upper and lower case letters, numbers, and special characters.
- Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Activate 2FA for your email account if it’s available. This adds an extra layer of security.
- Check Account Settings: Review your email settings, including forwarding addresses and filters, to ensure the hacker hasn’t set up any rules to continue accessing your information.
- Scan for Malware: Run a full scan on your computer and other devices to check for malware or viruses that might have enabled the hack.
- Update Security Questions: Change the answers to your security questions in case the hacker has obtained this information.
- Notify Contacts: Inform your contacts that your email was hacked and warn them not to click on any suspicious links or attachments they may have received from your account.
- Review Account Activity: Check the recent activity on your account to identify any unauthorized access or changes made by the hacker.
- Contact Your Email Provider: If you are unable to regain access, contact your email provider’s support for help.
- Monitor Other Accounts: Check for any suspicious activity on other accounts linked to your email, such as social media, banking, and online shopping accounts.
- Report the Incident: Depending on the severity, consider reporting the hack to relevant authorities or your IT department if it’s a work-related email.
By following these steps, you can help protect your company’s data and prevent further damage.
More importantly, to avoid this type of breach from occurring again, you should consider implementing an Email Phishing Training program for your team. My Resource Partners’ technology advisors can quickly connect you with top notch providers that match your company’s needs and budget.
