Phishing test: what use is it for businesses?

 

Assess the risks involved with the phishing test

In 2021, more than 85% of organizations suffered successful cyberattacks. It is therefore more than obvious that your company runs very high risks in this area. This is all the more true as all sectors of activity are affected. Even if those putting IT at the heart of their processes are more targeted, neglecting this possibility is a mistake.

In this sense, it is advisable to take the necessary measures to make your IT security as foolproof as possible . However, putting the right arrangements in place for your business requires coordination. Above all, it also requires costs that you will be obliged to incur. Each action to be taken must therefore be justified to avoid using your budget in vain.

Focusing on measures that are not very useful will only be a waste of money. It is necessary to be aware of the gaps in your IT protocols before thinking about the right way to fill them. With a phishing test , you can accurately assess the chances of a phishing attack being successful.

This is possible thanks to its delivery method which is focused on your organization's environment. It sets up a scenario that takes into account the context of your business. Then, the targets are precisely determined. They vary depending on each company. The employees most exposed are therefore those who are tested. Malicious emails are sent to them in order to study their behavior. The results of this analysis determine how vulnerable your business is to phishing.

Strengthen the vigilance of your employees

The phishing test is an excellent way to increase the vigilance of your employees. It promotes awareness by putting the players in your company in front of the most realistic situations . The very principle of the test is to carry out simulations which will make it possible to evaluate the decisions of the targeted people. If you organize several, they will be more and more alert.

This greatly reduces the risk of successful phishing attacks. In fact, according to some studies, 85% of cybersecurity breaches are caused by human error. The biggest flaw in your systems is therefore the people who have access to them. More precisely, it is due to their lack of attention.

By conducting phishing tests, you remedy this. Livelier employees will significantly limit cybercriminals' chances of success . This will give you time to react quickly and secure access to your data.

Run effective awareness campaigns

The phishing test is not just about giving your company members some sort of test. It is also useful for providing a solid foundation for your phishing awareness campaigns. Indeed, it provides results in the form of behavioral data that are fully usable.

They allow you to assign a rating to your company which serves as a security score. Obviously, the higher it is, the better. With these conclusions, you are able to effectively guide your awareness campaigns. They will be used to help your colleagues recognize phishing attempts and act accordingly.

Recognizing a phishing email

Thanks to awareness meetings linked to the results of the phishing test, you will be able to truly inform your teams. This is one of the essential conditions for increasing your security score. Even though the details that allow you to spot a fraudulent email are not numerous, they remain subtle.

First, you and your teams will need to pay attention to email subject lines . The goal of phishing is to trick you into clicking. In this way, you are redirected to fake sites or pages designed basically to steal your data. Thus, they often induce a sense of urgency. It could be an invoice that needs to be regularized as quickly as possible or even an account that is blocked for one reason or another. Cybercriminals seek to rush you into making mistakes.

Second, pay attention to the sender's information . It's his name and email address. In most cases, they are fanciful.

Finally, we must focus on the content of the email. It cannot be ruled out that it contains questionable formulations that are not appropriate to the situation . Sometimes, you may even notice spelling and grammar errors.

Have the right reflexes

If you receive a suspicious email, you should avoid clicking on a link or attachment found there. It is strongly recommended not to respond to this type of message. The ideal is to simply block the sender. You can also report it so that your company's email system takes care of the rest. Contacting the real sender is also a great way to confirm the deception