How Phishing Attacks Work and How to Protect Your Business

In today’s digital first world, cyber security is more critical than ever. Among the many threats businesses face, phishing attacks remain one of the most common and dangerous forms of cyber-attack. Despite investments in firewalls, antivirus tools, and other security technologies, a single convincing phishing email can slip through and exploit the most vulnerable layer: your people.

In this blog, we’ll break down what phishing is, how it works, and how you can protect your business from becoming the next victim of a cyber security breach.

What is Phishing?

Phishing is a type of social engineering attack designed to trick individuals into revealing sensitive information, such as:

Login credentials
Financial data
Client records
Access to internal systems

Phishing attacks are most often delivered through email, but can also occur via:

SMS (smishing)
Phone calls (vishing)
Social media messages

Common Types of Phishing Attacks

1. Email Phishing

Mass-distributed emails pretending to be from well-known brands or services. These often include malicious links or attachments to compromise systems.

2. Spear Phishing

Highly targeted attacks that use personalised information to deceive specific individuals, often those with access to sensitive company data.

3. Whaling

Phishing that targets high-level executives or leadership teams. These messages often appear as legal or financial communications.

4. Smishing & Vishing

Attackers use text messages or voice calls to impersonate banks, vendors, or even co-workers, aiming to steal credentials or initiate unauthorised actions.

Real World Example:

Between 2013 and 2015, a hacker impersonated a hardware vendor and defrauded Google and Facebook of more than $100 million through a convincing phishing email.

How to Spot a Phishing Attempt

Training your team to recognise phishing attempts is one of the best cybersecurity practices you can implement.

Watch out for:

Suspicious or unfamiliar sender addresses
Urgent or threatening language
Generic greetings like “Dear User”
Typos or unusual phrasing
Unexpected attachments or links
Mismatched URLs or spoofed domains

1. Employee Training

Make phishing awareness part of your ongoing training efforts. Use simulated attacks and real-world examples to keep employees alert.

2. Enable Multi Factor Authentication (MFA)

Even if a password is stolen, MFA ensures attackers can’t access your systems without a second verification step.

3. Use Advanced Email Security

Modern spam filters and threat detection tools can stop many phishing emails before they even reach your inbox.

4. Promote Smart Click Behaviour

Foster a cautious culture across your team: “If in doubt, don’t click.” Encourage employees to verify links and attachments.

5. Confirm Requests Through Secondary Channels

For money transfers, password resets, or confidential client information always confirm requests via a phone call or separate communication.

6. Keep Software Updated

Regularly update browsers, operating systems, and applications to patch known vulnerabilities and protect against the latest cyber attacks.

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Conclusion

Phishing isn’t just an IT issue it’s a full-scale cyber security risk that affects your operations, reputation, and bottom line. The question isn’t if your business will be targeted, but when.

By investing in employee training, deploying layered security solutions, and partnering with cybersecurity professionals, you can protect your people and your profits.

Don’t wait for a cyber attack to take action. Start with a free risk assessment today. One smart move now can prevent one costly click tomorrow.

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