Attacks on WordPress are common, learn how to deal with them.

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As internet implementation is on a swift rise, cybercrime is at an all-time high. According to a report, Google blacklists around 10,000+ websites every day for malware, and more than 50,000 for phishing every week!

As a matter of fact, WordPress operates 34% of all websites worldwide, and this is the reason perhaps why it is always a predominant target for hackers and other cybercriminals.

Why do you ask?

Let us explain.

All a hacker needs to do is find a weakness, and this could serve as a gateway to access thousands of websites using the same loophole.

But it should not happen to you.

Here, in this article, we will talk about the universal WordPress attacks and will explore the solutions that will keep your website safeguarded.

Most Common WordPress Attacks

1.    Plugin exposures

Plugins enhance the functionalities of a WordPress website on the go, and this is the reason why no web creator thinks twice before installing them on their website. This is where things tend to go wrong.

Getting attacked through plugins is ordinary. There is an infinite number of plugins available online by an array of developers. It is difficult to gauge the concealed intentions of each of these plugins. This is how they make your website prone to attacks.

Solution

We appreciate that avoiding plugins altogether is not an option, but we will extremely recommend you install as few as possible. Further, if a plugin is not active, it is better to uninstall it. Also, do not forget to update your plugins from time to time to rule out any possible loopholes.

2.    Brute Force

These attacks are usually initiated by bots who try to access your website through guesswork. They will try as many username and password patterns to log in to your website until they find the right one.

Solution

Quite unsurprisingly, choose your usernames and passwords carefully. Avoid going with common ones like – pas55word, a combination of your name and birth year and so on. These are simple to guess, and by keeping such passwords, you are only favouring the hackers.

Additionally, you should also contemplate activating two-factor authentication to avoid any unforeseen events.

3.    WordPress and Theme Susceptibilities

As we already discussed, all that a hacker needs are one single hiccup in the WordPress and theme and they will exploit it to enter into your website.

Solution

Both the WordPress platform and WordPress themes roll out their updated versions from time to time. You guess it right – all you need to do is make the most out of these updates by updating your WordPress core and themes daily.

4.    Hosting Vulnerabilities

Your web hosting is another critical factor that determines the security of your website. Your web hosting might make you exposed or the software that they use might not be secure enough.

Solution

It is very recommended to go with a secure and reputed web hosting solutions provider company. Check out their reviews, and performance before making a final judgment.

The Next Steps

Securing your website is not overly complicated. Simply, keep doing the right things, and close all the backdoors. As the best practice, we will suggest you take backup of your website periodically to control the damage, just in case!

Want to get the best solution for your business?

At Cloudscape, we take a security-first approach to technology – ensuring our client’s systems are best protected.

If you have any concerns, questions or simply want to explore how to better secure your business, please do get in touch with the team for a FREE demonstration, consultation to explore how exposed your business might be and identify actions to take.

To book a consultation or to arrange a further discussion, please get in touch.

Give us a call about your IT projects – current or future 0207 952 8123

Your firewall is more important than you may think.

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Ransomware is more prominent now than ever before. With devastating attacks continuing to control governments, educational organisations and business operations in multiple states, countries & Continents, with Texas recently under fire from a single Hacker, who took control of more than 23 organisations by himself.

Capital One was also in the news not too long ago, having been torn apart for its data.

Accurate strikes can start in several unprecedented methods – some with a basic phishing email, others with hackers exploiting vulnerabilities in networks in order to jump onto other systems within the network.

One of the most devastating ransomware attacks to happen in years, ensuing a worldwide disturbance, was when Capital One’s networks were manipulated and weaknesses were blown wide open to the public.

Since the assault, new susceptibilities have been detected, but there are still various systems out there that are highly susceptive to cyber-attacks.

Unfortunately, many of these poorly written networks are heaped with problems that are easily ‘wormable’, which otherwise means hackers & malicious software can exploit these gaps in an automated method with no user contact at all, enabling the malware to spread proficiently to a wide group of systems. In other words, taking over your entire infrastructure in moments.

Implementing an industry-leading protection product and managing a strict patch management strategy are the most advantageous practices. But there are also other good quality arrangements you should consider helping keep ransomware, hackers & threats out of your network to begin with.

Your firewall provides crucial security against exploits by sealing or guarding vulnerable ports, as well as preventing strikes using an Intrusion Prevention System. IPS looks at network traffic for opportunities, exploits, and stops any attempt for attackers to get through your network border or even cross borders & segments within your internal network.

Here are the firewall essentials to avoid ransomware attacks from accessing your Business network:

  • Decrease the surface area of attack: Examine and re-examine all port-forwarding rules to reduce any non-essential open ports. Where possible use VPN to access resources on the internal network from outside rather than port-forwarding.
  • Launch IPS protection: Apply proper IPS protection to the rules governing traffic to/from any Windows hosts on your network.
  • Decrease the threat of lateral movement: Safeguard against threats moving laterally on your network and consider segmenting your LANs into smaller sub-nets, assigning those to separate zones that are secured by the firewall. Apply suitable IPS policies to rules governing the traffic traversing these zones to prevent worms and bots from spreading between LAN segments.

Want to get the best solution for your business?

At Cloudscape, we take a security-first approach to technology – ensuring our client’s systems are best protected.

If you have any concerns, questions or simply want to explore how to better secure your business, please do get in touch with the team for a FREE demonstration, consultation to explore how exposed your business might be and identify actions to take.

To book a consultation or to arrange a further discussion, please get in touch.

Give us a call about your IT projects – current or future 0207 952 8123

Avoiding the world of online identity theft

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In the modern age, a large part of us lives online – in the form of data! Whether it’s within social media, eCommerce websites or educational pages – you’ll agree with us that crucial information related to ourselves resides online.

This provides an ideal opportunity for the cybercriminals who want to steal your identity to impersonate you to launder money, make purchases and accomplish other malicious intentions.

According to an estimate, identity theft causes $50-billion worth of financial loss every year. For some people, identity theft can cause mere inconvenience that could be fixed with certain measures. For other parties, it can cause serious damage to their financials and reputation.

 

How do they steal your identity you ask?

In the past, identity theft happened when a criminal stole your post, bank receipts, wallets with credit cards, etc. In the digitally connected world, this can happen in any of the following ways:

  • Through phishing websites
  • Malware that gets installed on computers or smartphones
  • Transacting via ATM which has been rigged to skim information
  • Sharing passwords with untrustworthy people
  • Fake social profile
  • Remote access
  • By use of pharming websites

Though it is important to stay vigilant, you can protect your identity by being cautious and following certain steps.

 

Protecting yourself from identity theft?

Rather than facing issues, it is advisable to take some precautionary measures. Here is how you can protect yourself from such an ordeal.

  1. Antivirus and anti-malware software

Keep your computer and smartphones armed with the latest antivirus and anti-malware software. Good software helps you in battling most malware, spyware, and keyloggers.

  1. Be vigilant when using ATMs

While using an ATM, make sure you hide your PIN to avoid being detected by a hidden camera.

  1. Passwords

Always keep different passwords for different websites and social media platforms. Make sure your passwords are strong enough to be undecipherable. To help you remember all the passwords, use the online services of Google to store them.

  1. Watch out for spam or junk mail

Keep an eye for emails that pop-up in your inbox, appearing to be from a credible website or source that ask you to download something. Double-check with the source mentioned to ensure their credibility

  1. Be careful on Social Media

The best way to prevent someone from stealing your information is by limiting their access to it. Limit your disbursement of information.

Follow these easy steps to keep a check on your data and information. Keep an eye on new information, and become aware of new ways to protect yourself digitally.

 

Want to get the best of cybersecurity for your business?

At Cloudscape, we specialise in learning our clients’ business and best-applying security technology to their needs.

If you would appreciate a free brief discussion about your operational challenges & to explore the threats to your business, please get in touch today.

Give us a call about your IT projects – current or future 0207 952 8123

IT Project Management in the Digital Age

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We live in a digital age where good IT structures are crucial for organizations who want to remain productive and keep one step ahead of the competition. Even the smallest margin of quality in terms of your IT capabilities can make a huge difference, so concentrating your resources and efforts on enhancing your IT outlook should be a priority. After all, with the rapid evolution of technology, the potential that’s available could make a significant difference to the way your business operates. And, with IT project management, this can easily be achieved.

What Is IT Project Management?

Every aspect of your business needs to be driven by a plan and IT is no different. However, the intricacies and technical specifications of IT require specialist knowledge to understand the product. With an IT project management team in place, you can be guaranteed peace of mind that this knowledge will be applied correctly. Additionally, the experience the team brings will allow them to counter any problems caused by the speed of technology or even just the sheer size of the project.

Where Should IT Project Management Be Applied?

There are key areas of IT where you need to focus the energies and attentions of your project management team to deliver world class IT services in your business. The most important topics to concentrate on are:

  • Cloud Systems and Virtualization: The way in which we work has changed rapidly over the last decade and remote computing has emerged as the way forwards. Thanks to advancements in technology, cloud networks and virtual servers now offer sophisticated methods to suit the needs of any employee in any organization. Enhancing and simplifying the availability of system resources – such as a remote worker being able to access system files and apps – should be one of the priorities of IT project management.
  • Hardware and Network Upgrades: Keeping up to date with advances in technology gives you the opportunity to provide an unparalleled service to your customers and, just as importantly, help you keep one step ahead of your competition. A good IT project management team will help you to achieve this by keeping up to date with changes in hardware and network technology and identifying which ones will deliver a significant upgrade to your IT systems.
  • Implementing IT Services: The complexities of IT and its associated technology mean that mastering this aspect of business can be a tough ask. And, when it comes to implementing new IT services, it’s even tougher due to the number of variables at play. Time and budget, naturally, are the biggest concerns, but if you have experience on your side then you can rest assured that your project should proceed with the minimum of fuss. A good project management team, therefore, is crucial to see each and every project through efficiently.

Time to Install an IT Project Management Team?

Implementing a carefully picked management team, who can take your IT projects to the next level, will bring a level of experience and expertise that helps you remain competitive and customer focused. And, if you start now, you can begin to reap the benefits almost immediately.

Give us a call about your IT projects – current or future 0207 952 8123

Protecting Your Business with Cyber Essentials Qualification

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Without the amazing benefits and capabilities provided by IT, modern business would look very different. Accordingly, the need to protect your organisation’s IT equipment such as networks, data storage systems and workstations should be a major priority. You only have to take a quick look at the technology headlines to see that hacking makes for big business in the digital age.

How, though, can your business protect itself from the threat of hackers and their arsenal of tools which include DDoS attacks, malware and ransomware? Understanding what those last three terms mean is tough enough, but combatting them is on another level. Thankfully, the Cyber Essentials qualification is a Government-backed scheme that aims to help businesses protect themselves by enhancing their cyber security.

What is the Cyber Essentials Qualification?

Cyber Essentials is there to help protect your organisation from the very real threat of cyber-crime by focusing on the following areas:

  • Securing your internet connection to ensure that only authorised traffic is allowed to enter and leave your network
  • Ensuring that any device on your computer network is correctly configured and secured to reduce the risk of any security vulnerabilities that may be present
  • Underlining the importance of protecting your applications and hardware from the threat of malware
  • Working to differentiate the various levels of access that should be assigned to different computer users across your network.
  • Best practices for patch/update management to give your software the best chance of being protected from vulnerabilities

What Does Cyber Essentials Mean For Your Business?

Cyber Essentials is a form of certification which demonstrates your understanding of cyber security. It not only reassures your customers that you’re reputable and trustworthy, but it also ensures that any potential downtime is significantly reduced. Allowing you to become more proactive with risk management, the visibility that the qualification grants you in the chaotic world of cyber security is priceless. With enhanced knowledge comes the ability to spot risks early on and reduce the impact they could have on your business and its customers.

Not every organisation, of course, has the necessary skills in house to achieve the Cyber Essentials qualification on their own. However, this doesn’t mean that your business has to head out into the digital landscape without the protection afforded by Cyber Essentials. A successful cyber strategy can easily be put into place by teaming up with an external partner who has the Cyber Essentials certification and can help to craft a strategy which suits your organisation and its unique needs.

Cyber Security A Necessary Addition to Your Business

Clearly, the need to protect your IT infrastructure in the modern age should be a paramount concern for all contemporary businesses. After all, the sheer amount of data now held by organisations is staggering and the need to protect this increases with each passing cyber scandal. Despite IT being a niche that is notoriously complex and unfriendly to newcomers, Cyber Essentials represents a fantastic opportunity to start taking back control of your IT defences and keeping your infrastructure online.

Find out more about Cyber Security Services...

Managing An Office IT Move

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Engineering the Perfect IT Relocation

The need to expand is a sure sign that your business is heading in the right direction, but expansion brings with it a series of logistical and operational challenges.

And, given the importance of IT in modern business, it should come as no surprise that migrating your IT operations is one of the most crucial aspects to consider when relocating to new premises. It can be a difficult and testing process, but one that, if engineered and planned correctly, can provide a seamless transition. Managing this move, therefore, is vital, so let’s take a look at what you need to consider.

Server Relocation

Without servers, your business has no backbone to its IT operations and its ability to remain competitive becomes significantly reduced, if not completely extinguished. And this fact remains true for as long as your servers are down. Consequently, relocating your servers needs to be planned thoroughly in order to reduce the downtime and the impact this has upon your organisation. One of your first steps, therefore, should be to draw up a thorough plan of when and how you will begin the relocation process.

However, whilst planning is certainly the key to success, the real challenge comes when you begin the physical removal of your servers and all their accompanying equipment. Remember, servers are not only bulky items, but they’re also fragile and contain incredibly valuable and sensitive data. Ensuring that this is transported correctly, therefore, is paramount. Thankfully, working with a professional and experienced removal company can guarantee peace of mind that your equipment will be transported safely.

Migrating Phone Lines and the Internet

Servers may be crucial for your organisation’s IT network to run efficiently, but equally important are the phone lines and the internet. It’s common to assume that every building in the 21st century is equipped and ready to cope with the demands of modern business communication, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. And that’s why it’s so important that, as part of your site survey, you evaluate the existing communication lines of any potential new premises.

There’s a chance that everything will be perfect, but this will be relatively small unless you’re relocating into bespoke premises. Installing new phone lines to cope with the demands of your business is likely to be required and this can take time to finalise. Time, of course, is highly valuable when it comes to relocating your IT solutions, so this is, again, a step that you need to take early on in the relocation process to reduce any downtime.

Prepare a Relocation Contingency Plan

It’s clear that organising and planning a successful IT relocation project is essential to keep your organisation’s IT functioning smoothly and consistently. However, the logistics involved in relocation mean that these projects rarely run to plan. And, with so much at stake, it’s vital that you have a contingency plan in place. Additionally, multiple backups of your data are imperative as relocation projects are prone to data emergencies.

Working with external professionals with experience running relocation projects involving complex IT systems is an effective way to help mitigate these risks.

If you’d like any advice on your next relocation project, don’t hesitate to get in touch.

How Does Hosted VoIP Work

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What is Hosted VoIP?

Communication systems have always, and will always, be crucial components of any successful business, so it’s important that organisations keep in touch with any related tech developments. And, when it comes to phone technology, hosted Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) has steadily been gaining traction in the business market for the last decade. However, many businesses are still making do with traditional phone technology and aren’t aware of what hosted VoIP can offer them.

How Does VoIP Work For Business

The first piece of internet phone software was launched in 1995 and allowed early users to transmit voice signals over the internet to anywhere in the world. And, this remains the very foundation of VoIP nearly 25 years later. Naturally, advances in technology have ensured that the quality of these voice signals have increased almost exponentially and, more importantly, the connections that carry them are significantly more stable and provide seamless communication.

Hosted VoIP takes the standard concept of VoIP and packages it as a service provided to businesses. Part of the appeal of hosted VoIP is that all the hardware and the private branch exchange (a telephone switching system) doesn’t need to be housed on site. Instead, this is all housed at a remote location that businesses can connect to. This provides organisations with a fantastic phone system, but without the costly investment of purchasing said equipment and maintaining it on site.

Transitioning to Cloud-based (VoIP) Phones

Traditional landlines are due to be made redundant by the mid-2020s, so it’s vital that your business begins to consider making the transition to cloud-based office phones sooner rather than later. After all, we know that communication is critical in business, so remaining competitive in this area is highly important. Such a major change in technology, though, is surely difficult to integrate, right? Well, actually, it’s a lot simpler that you might imagine.

Planning is, as ever, an essential step, but if it’s done correctly then you can rest assured that your transition should an easy one. One of the major benefits of hosted VoIP is that all the hardware is based off site and this means you can gradually introduce it to your office alongside your existing telephone system. This allows you to keep your communication channels open to reduce the impact of any teething issues. Number porting, of course, is one of the most time consuming aspects of transitioning to a new phone system, so it’s a good idea to make this a priority from the start.

How Much Does VoIP Cost?

As with most hosted services, there are a considerable number of providers vying for your business and they will all offer products with varying features and price ranges. For the most basic package, you should be looking to pay around £20 per month for a service which allows you to work with a limited amount of minutes to use each month. However, for a business that, for example, contains considerably more staff and requires more talk time, it makes sense to go for all-inclusive packages which start at around £50 per month.

Learn More about VoIP for Business

 

IT support for PCs and Servers

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The Importance of Effective PC and Server Support

The backbone of any organization’s operations in the 21st century is based upon a foundation of strong IT. However, whilst a series of desktop PCs may initially be enough for your business, the growth that you aspire to means that change will be inevitable. In particular, upgrading from individual PCs to a networked infrastructure such as servers is crucial.

Due to the technical expertise required to work with servers and server support involved, it’s important that you start working with a network support team.

Do I Need A Server For My Small Business?

Installing a networked infrastructure brings a myriad of benefits to your organisation. Files can easily be shared between different users, remote access opens up a much wider reach for your business operations and the ability to share hardware between users is easier than ever before. And good network support can facilitate this by:

  • Building a Network That Works: The complexities behind a PC network are immense, so it’s vital that they’re built by a team who know exactly what they’re doing. This, in turn, provides you with a fully functioning network and minimises down time.
  • Providing Network Support: With the amount of activity that takes place on a server it’s unavoidable that errors will occur. However, with a network support team who are highly experienced in the intricacies of servers, you’ll find that any issues can be resolved quickly.
  • Ensuring the Network is Secure: Hacking is a major threat to businesses due to the large quantities of data at risk and the danger of damaging productivity. Peace of mind over the security of your server, therefore, is paramount. The best way to achieve this is by working with a network support team who can guarantee the security of your server.

Growth to your IT infrastructure doesn’t just stop at your servers, it also means significant upgrades to your hardware and software. Both of which need a significant amount of expertise to support.

Hardware and Software Support

From data storage solutions through to updating software through the installation of patches, it’s critical that your hardware and software is supported correctly. With an excellent support team in place you can be certain of the following:

  • Productivity is Secured: Your productivity can feel the bite of poorly supported hardware and software almost instantly. If, for example, your data storage fails then your organisation can seriously struggle to operate. However, if your hardware is properly supported then this disruption can be resolved quickly.
  • Software Updates Installed Correctly: One of the biggest threats to IT security is the failure to install software updates and patches quickly. IT support teams, however, understand the danger this brings and will strive to install these fixes.
  • Remote Troubleshooting: Thanks to advances in technology, IT support for your hardware and software can be executed from any location. This allows your business to receive instant remote support at any time of the day from your IT support team.

Read more about Network and Server Support….

 

Managed IT Support Services in the UK

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What is managed IT service?

IT is such a crucial part of the modern business landscape that even the smallest businesses struggle to operate without some form of IT infrastructure. Technology, of course, can be highly complex and a certain level of expertise is required to get the best out of it.

IT Support for Small Business

Small businesses, however, rarely have the resources to install an in-house IT support team. As a result, IT issues can soon begin to affect the productivity of your organisation and the ability to remain competitive in a world that is becoming more and more digital.

Help is at hand, though, in the form of external partners who can provide managed IT support. Highly experienced and capable of significantly improving your existing IT infrastructure, external IT support comes laden with the following benefits:

  • Installation and configuration of equipment can be easily planned and executed with the minimum of fuss
  • Response times ensure that you’re guaranteed to have any technical faults attended to within a specific time period
  • Remote technology allows external providers to access your networks from anywhere in the world to diagnose faults and solve problems quickly

These benefits, of course, are all fantastic, but how do you go about choosing the right provider for your IT services?

What do managed IT service providers do?

Every organisation is unique in its digital needs, but it’s important to concentrate on these basics when searching for an IT support team:

Working with both PC and Mac:

Office workers, for example, will require desktop computers and remote workers will most likely use laptops. And, regardless of the industry, it’s increasingly common to find PCs and Macs rubbing shoulders under the same roof. Looking after all these different types of equipment requires a level of experience and expertise that the average office manager simply won’t have. However, the best IT support teams are able to tackle all these different challenges with confidence and ease.

Cloud Services:

The headlines surrounding cloud computing have been inescapable over the last few years and this is with good reason due to the amazing benefits it provides. Off-site network solutions and storage facilities free up valuable space in your premises, but how do you know which cloud provider is right for you? If, however, you have an IT support team on hand then they will be able to recommend the best provider for your needs and, as a result, help enhance your IT operations.

 

Plan for Future IT System Growth:

If your business wants to grow then you need to make sure your IT solutions grow at the same pace. And that’s why it’s vital that you work with an IT support team who can plan for future growth. Ideas should be drawn together to schedule a five year plan that allows your organisation to expand as planned and with the minimum of fuss.

The demands of business in the 21st century are such that you need to ensure your IT operations are carefully managed. With this taken care of you can concentrate on remaining competitive and providing your customers with a fantastic level of service. And, with an external IT support team on standby, this has never been easier to achieve

What is a spear phishing attack?

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What is Spear Phishing?

Spear phishing has been present in the digital landscape for over 20 years, but it’s only in the last 10 years that it’s started making headlines.

Primarily using email to deliver its malicious payload, spear phishing presents a very real and current threat to any business with an email account. Key to combatting the threat of phishing is by educating your business on the signs and symptoms of such an attack, so let’s take a look at what you’re up against.

Spear Phishing Techniques

A number of techniques are employed when launching a phishing technique and these can include:

  • Macros contained within Microsoft Office documents that, once activated, allow hackers to gain remote access of the infected PC
  • Tricking employees into disclosing sensitive data such as login details for company emails or databases
  • Redirecting victims to malicious websites where malware can be downloaded to their PC

What’s Different About Spear Phishing?

Phishing is frequently in the headlines, so many businesses are aware of this threat and know how to protect themselves. Spear phishing, however, is a little different.

Where phishing emails tend to target large numbers of individuals with generic content, spear phishing is a much more personalised attack. For example, rather than starting an email with “Dear Sir/Madam”, a spear phishing email will use the recipients exact name to engender trust and move the recipient closer to taking the malicious bait.

What are the Characteristics of a Spear Phishing Attack?

Phishing attacks are generally executed by sophisticated hackers, but there are still a number of telltale signs which characterise spear phishing such as:

  • Multiple Levels of Attack: Phishing attacks businesses on a number of different levels following the initial infection, so further attacks are likely to involve malware downloads, logging keystrokes and capturing screenshots.
  • A Combination of Threats: To enhance the chances of outwitting standard web defences, spear phishing incorporates a number of different techniques to deliver their payload including infected URLs, documents and unauthorised downloads.
  • Exploiting Zero Day Vulnerabilities: Spear phishing specialises in exploiting the numerous zero day vulnerabilities that can arise in browsers, apps and the various plugins that are found within desktop PCs.

Spear Phishing Examples

If you take a look at the IT headlines from the last couple of years then it doesn’t take long to find a mention of spear phishing.

In 2016, an employee of Snapchat fell victim to a spear phishing scam which involved an email being sent which claimed it was from the Snapchat CEO. Falling for the scam, the employee duly followed the request within the email and forwarded on payroll details to a spoof email address.

However, the most famous example of spear phishing is the attack launched on the US Democratic Party in 2016. Hackers sent spoof emails claiming to be from Google representatives and advising recipients to update their email passwords to strengthen security. However, the links contained within these emails merely led the victims to malicious websites which allowed the hackers to take control of their email accounts.

Rather than becoming the next victim of phishing, it’s important that you understand how such an attack is likely to be launched against your business. Knowledge is a valuable currency when it comes to cyber-attacks, so it’s crucial that you educate yourself and your employees to not only protect your sensitive data, but also maintain your productivity.