The increase in phishing on email and collaboration platforms has been a worrying trend in recent years, according to the State of Email Security report.  

According to the survey of 1,700 IT professionals, the most significant threats transmitted by email continue to be phishing, ransomware and spoofing. 

It was found that two thirds of respondents recognized a successful ransomware attack, with companies in sectors such as consumer services, energy, health, media and entertainment being particularly vulnerable.  

In addition, 91% of respondents have seen attempts to steal or use their email domain in a spoofing attack. 

These alarming figures highlight the importance of companies adopting proactive measures to protect their confidential information.   

After all, what is phishing?

Phishing is one of the most common forms of cyberattack and involves sending fraudulent emails that look legitimate but contain malicious links or requests for confidential information.  

With the increased use of collaboration platforms such as Slack, Microsoft Teams and Zoom, cybercriminals have found new opportunities to trick people by launching phishing attacks to gain access to confidential data.  

For example, the scammer could impersonate a coworker or a technical support representative from the collaboration platform and send messages with malicious links or requests for confidential information.  

In addition, they can use social engineering to obtain personal information about users and use it to personalize their phishing attacks, making them more convincing. 

Tips to protect yourself from phishing scams on email and collaboration platforms 

It is important that users are aware of these risks and adopt good cybersecurity practices. Here are some tips:  

Educate your employees 

User education and awareness are the first line of defense against phishing. That's why you should always encourage these practices in your company.  

Train your employees to identify and report phishing scams, and advise them on the best cybersecurity practices. 

Check the senders 

Always check the sender's e-mail address before opening any suspicious message.  

If the address looks suspicious or unknown, do not click on any links or download any attachments. 

Use email authentication 

Email authentication, such as SPF or DKIM, can help prevent sender impersonation and reduce the risk of phishing attacks. 

Keep platforms up to date 

Keep your email and collaboration platforms up to date with the latest security patches. They minimize the chance of a vulnerability being exploited. 

Use security features 

Use security features such as spam filtering, antivirus and antimalware to detect and block malicious emails. 

This will block the messages before they reach your inbox. 

Watch out for signs of phishing 

Look out for common signs of phishing, such as spelling and grammar mistakes, urgent requests for confidential information, offers of rewards or threats. 

Cybercriminals can use texts with a sense of urgency to make users feel compelled to open the messages. That's why you need to be careful to protect yourself. 

By following these tips, companies can help reduce the risk of falling victim to phishing scams on email and collaboration platforms. In this way, they increase the chances of keeping their confidential information safe. 

If you want to learn more about this topic, read our article on how phishing attacks target social networks.