As technology becomes more and more sophisticated, it often seems like there is some bad along with the good. For example, spam email used to be a common annoyance, but as email has evolved, so too has spam. Now, rather than just cluttering up inboxes, spam can actually wreak havoc on your office security. Luckily, with a little common sense and some basic security measures, you can keep your business safe from malicious activity.
Share these tips with your staff:
- Unknown sender. This one is pretty easy. If you don’t recognize the person or the sent-from address, don’t open it. If you are unsure, try looking up the person or company online to see if you recognize a connection. Spam tries very hard to look authentic so be aware.
- Open at your own risk. Even if you receive an email from someone you know well, if it looks odd or suspicious, proceed with caution. You could be receiving spam via a known contact, meaning that their email has been comprised. Remember, hackers want to use a legitimate email address to spread the virus.
- Similarly, never open links or attachments from an unknown source and use caution when receiving them from known parties. Use your instincts–if something seems “off”–it probably is. If you know the sender well, ask them if they sent it.
- Don’t give “personal” info. We’ve all gotten those messages asking for bank account information or account details. And while it may seem like a no-brainer, many of them look legal and may even be from your financial institution (or someone pretending to be). If you think it might have some veracity, contact the organization separately for verification; never reply directly.
Show them how you are protecting office security:
- Spam filters. These filters will block spam before it even reaches your inbox. If something does get through, you can flag it as spam, which will keep your inbox clean and help improve the filtering system.
- Anti-virus. For the best protection against viruses and the like, anti-virus software can handle the heavy lifting for you. Educate employees on the importance of these technologies.
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