How to prevent phishing attacks

13 ways to prevent phishing

To avoid phishing scams, you’ll need to develop cybersecurity awareness and take protective measures online, both at work and in your personal life. Here are 13 strategies to help you avoid phishing.

1. Exercise caution

Many people have accidentally clicked on a phishing link simply because they were not thinking critically when responding to messages. To avoid this mistake, assume that everyone online is a potential scammer.

If you receive unsolicited phone calls, texts, emails, or social media messages, wait before responding. Assess the message carefully and don’t engage if anything seems suspicious.

2. Learn to identify phishing attacks

Research the different types of phishing and look for red flags when going through your email messages. For example, URL phishing emails often contain links that look legitimate but direct you to a malicious website. Upon closer inspection, these URLs usually have slight typos or formatting errors.

Other phishing signs include generic or awkward writing, poor spelling and grammar, and suspicious sender email addresses. Most phishing messages also use urgent language and will make requests for sensitive personal data.

3. Do not share personal information

Avoid sending sensitive information like your bank details, account passwords, or Social Security number online. Cybercriminals often pose as banks or trusted platforms like PayPal to access this information. If someone online asks you to share these sensitive details via email or an unsecured link, don’t take the bait.

4. Contact the source directly

If you’re unsure whether a message is a phishing scam, contact the sender directly using another mode of communication. For example, say you get an email requesting personal information from someone claiming to be your bank. Instead of responding directly to the email, call the bank’s official customer service number or visit your local branch in person.

5. Use secure browsing practices

Many phishing messages include links to malicious websites that prompt you to enter personal information or even place malware on your computer. Use secure browsing practices to identify and avoid these dangerous sites.

Before opening any link, double-check the URL to ensure there are no misspellings or formatting errors. Phishing URLs may look legitimate at first glance but slightly differ from the sites they try to mimic.

Also, use tools with automatic SSL inspection. This inspection ensures that each site you’re visiting is encrypted with an SSL certificate for additional security. URLs with these certificates will start with HTTPS rather than HTTP. Many phishing sites do not have SSL certificates, so this is a good indicator to watch for.

If you do click on a link directly from an email, be extremely cautious when visiting the website. Don’t engage with suspicious pop-ups or apps and close the window if you notice any red flags.

6. Use multi-factor authentication (MFA)

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) requires you to enter a password and a secure code to access an online account. The secure code is typically sent to your email or phone number and expires a few minutes later.

MFA adds an extra layer of security to your online accounts so that cybercriminals cannot access them. Even if a hacker gains access to your passwords, they still won’t be able to log in without the MFA code.

7. Monitor accounts regularly

Don’t let your online accounts gather dust — many hackers will specifically target inactive accounts when planning phishing attacks.

Check the security of your accounts regularly as part of your phishing prevention strategy. In particular, review your bank statements for any unusual transactions. Also, ensure no secondary email addresses have been added to your online accounts.

8. Set up activity alerts

Many websites and security tools have built-in alerts for suspicious activity. For example, Google Critical Security Alert will send you an email every time someone logs in from a new device. However, some cybercriminals send phishing emails that mimic these security alerts, so you’ll need to verify that the message is legitimate each time.

9. Keep software updated

Take the time to update the software programs on your devices regularly. Why are updates important? Many cybercriminals use vulnerabilities in outdated software programs to launch attacks and access sensitive information.

Software developers regularly release updates and patches to remove these vulnerabilities and protect their users. Schedule time to update your software programs each month to keep your data safe.

10. Use email filters

One of the easiest ways to prevent phishing is to put email filters in place on your accounts. These filters stop phishing emails by identifying keywords associated with common phishing scams. Email filters can also block specific email addresses associated with past phishing scams.

In addition to removing phishing emails, these filters also remove spam messages. The difference between spam and phishing is that spam messages are annoying but aren’t typically malicious. On the other hand, phishing messages are written with the explicit goal of compromising your safety and privacy online.

11. Use firewalls

A firewall is a security tool that acts as a barrier between your network and the rest of the internet. It blocks a wide range of malicious web traffic to keep hackers from accessing your systems.

Firewalls can prevent some phishing attacks by blocking traffic that could lead to a phishing attempt. For example, a hacker might use your organization’s Wi-Fi network to collect inside information and launch a targeted phishing attack. A firewall would block that traffic, making it more difficult for the hacker to conduct a phishing attack.

12. Avoid unsecured public Wi-Fi

Cybercriminals often use Wi-Fi eavesdropping techniques to spy on your online activity in public spaces, collecting the information they need to create a phishing attack. When possible, stick to secure Wi-Fi networks at home or work, especially when accessing your bank details or other sensitive information.

If you are traveling and must use a public Wi-Fi network, take steps to protect yourself. Use a VPN for Wi-Fi security to encrypt your web traffic and keep your activity more private.

13. Use anti-phishing solutions

As phishing attacks have become more common, many software companies have developed phishing protection solutions. For example, NordVPN software includes an AI-powered anti-phishing tool.

These tools show signs of phishing in real time as you open emails, use social media, or browse the internet. The tools assess each message for red flags and alert users to possible phishing messages. In some cases, these tools will also assess the sender’s recent activity and profile to determine whether or not they are trustworthy.

Recognizing phishing attempts

Learning the signs of phishing attacks can help you identify them in real time rather than relying entirely on phishing detection tools. Here are some common characteristics of phishing scams.

• Request for personal information: Scammers may ask you to share sensitive personal information by responding directly to the email or visiting a fake website designed to collect the information.
• Urgent tone: Phishing scams will create a sense of urgency to incite panic and get you to respond immediately. For example, the message may tell you to respond within 24 hours to avoid an unwanted credit card charge.
• Offers that seem too good to be true: Some scammers will try to entice you with promises of prize money, free vacations, or other extravagant offers.
• Incorrect email address: Always check the sender’s email address if you suspect a phishing attempt. While the address may initially look legitimate, it will slightly differ from the official email it is spoofing. For example, you might receive an email from “paypal.net” instead of “paypal.com.”
• Awkward or generic language: Phishing messages often use words and phrases that feel unnatural or awkward. Many scammers also use generative AI tools to write phishing emails, so keep an eye out for language that feels robotic.
• Suspicious links or attachments: If you suspect a message may be a phishing attempt, avoid clicking on links or attachments.

What to do if you suspect a phishing attempt

If you suspect a message is a phishing attack, it’s important to take action to prevent it from happening again. It’s particularly important to report different kinds of phishing at work so your organization can improve its cybersecurity strategies as needed. If you are in the United States, In addition to reporting phishing attempts to your employer, you can report them to your email provider and the FTC so they can take steps to prevent these problems from happening to others in the future.

Don’t respond to suspected phishing messages. After reporting these messages, delete them from your device. Then, double-check the security of your accounts and change your passwords if needed.

Organizational strategies to prevent phishing

Organizations can take many steps to stop phishing scams. Being proactive is essential to protect your customers and prevent disruptions to your operations.

Employee training

Host cybersecurity training sessions to teach employees to avoid phishing scams and best practices to stay safe online. These training sessions should be conducted regularly to keep employees up-to-date on the latest cyber threats.

Additionally, you can use simulated phishing attacks to test employee readiness. In a simulated attack, your IT department sends a fake phishing email to see who responds. This test will show you which employees need more cybersecurity training.

Policy implementation

Develop a concrete cybersecurity policy for your organization to minimize confusion and get your team on the same page. This policy should specify which cybersecurity tools and preventive measures employees should take and procedures for reporting phishing messages and other suspected attacks.

Once you have finalized the policy, require all employees to review it. The policy should be readily accessible for anyone to review at any time.

Consequences of failed phishing prevention

A successful phishing attack can cause serious damage. Here are some of the most devastating consequences of phishing scams.

• Financial loss: Cybercriminals could use phishing attacks to access your bank accounts. At the organizational level, a phishing attack could interrupt your operations and hurt your overall revenue.
• Identity theft: After a successful phishing attack, cybercriminals use stolen personal information to conduct identity theft. This theft could hurt both you and your customers.
• Data breaches: Some of the biggest data breaches in history have stemmed from phishing attacks. If your systems are breached, it could expose a huge volume of sensitive data.
• Reputational damage: Today’s customers prioritize security and privacy. If your organization falls victim to a phishing attack, it could damage your reputation and make it difficult to maintain your customer base.

How does NordVPN help to prevent phishing?

NordVPN’s Threat Protection Pro offers advanced phishing detection and prevention to protect you from scammers. This AI-powered tool blocks known phishing websites and alerts you to red flags as you browse. NordVPN is also the first VPN to receive an anti-phishing certification for its Threat Protection Pro from AV-Comparatives. With Threat Protection Pro, you can feel confident knowing you’re browsing safely.