With an estimated 319 billion emails sent around the world in 20211, email continues to be a predominant means of both casual and professional communications. This is no surprise, because email is inexpensive and transmission is fast. Messages, travelling on global Internet connections, can take seconds to arrive at their destinations.
Unfortunately, this convenience comes with a significant downside — security threats. Often funded by well-organized crime syndicates, cybercriminals are no longer geeks in their parents’ basements. They are experts well-trained in the science of human behavior. In fact, they are often more familiar with human gullibility, and the tactics used to leverage it for gain, than are the business executives whose corporate data and resources are being exposed by personnel.
As a result of this escalating trend towards the “monetization of gullibility,” phishing is at an all-time high. Exacerbating the problem, no company is natively immune from these attacks, and cybercriminals target firms of all sizes. Why? Because cybercriminals are equal-opportunity offenders.
- Although large companies may have better defenses, success leads to greater gain.
- On the flip side, small and midsized firms may not yield as much economic benefit, but they are often much less prepared to recognize and avoid attacks.
At Carmichael Consulting Solutions, we are determined to help our clients, regardless of company size, turn the tables on these thieves.
One Step You Must Take to Thwart Cybercriminals, Now
In recent blogs, we introduced business leaders to two proven techniques, dark web monitoring and security awareness training, that can significantly mitigate corporate risk. While both of these are essential, we strongly recommend that our clients not stop there. For the best chance of beating cybercriminals at their games, firms should follow security awareness training with a phishing “simulation” exercise.
With such an effort, personnel are targeted with fake, phishing emails to see how they respond. For these exercises, we use BullPhish ID, the world’s leading phishing simulation platform. Available to organizations only through a Managed IT Services partner such as Carmichael Consulting Solutions, BullPhish ID simulates an actual phishing attack to see whether or not company personnel will take the bait.
A variety of phishing simulations are available to ensure the exercises match a realistic, real-world threat to the organization based upon its operating criteria. Furthermore, simulations are updated each month to reflect the latest threats. We can even help clients create a custom campaign that targets situations unique to their particular firm or industry.
After the simulation exercise, we provide our clients with a professional report that indicates the outcome of the exercise. Depending upon how many employees were caught in the simulated attack, Carmichael Consulting Solutions’ experts can ensure the organization’s personnel receive appropriate education without any reprisal or condemnation. This report also gives business leaders the opportunity to determine whether they would like us to conduct additional training with their staffs.
Even with a security training solution as powerful as BullPhish ID, human gullibility will likely result in some personnel falling for trickery. BullPhish ID’s simulation platform is designed to harmlessly trick even employees who are confident they are cautious.
The Reassurance of Real-World Exercises
Given that more than 90%2 of data breaches start with a phishing email, and phishing, along with extortion and identity theft, is costing businesses $42 billion3 per year, phishing simulations are vital to corporate continuity. If you are still uncertain, consider this. By 20254, nearly 377 billion emails will be sent and received, per day. Ensure the emails your personnel send and receive don’t cost you your firm. Reduce your organization’s chance of experiencing a cybersecurity incident by up to 70%5 by letting us help you build a strong security culture centered around best-of-class solutions such as BullPhish ID. To learn more or get started, click here or call 678-719-9671 (choose Option 2).
1 https://www.statista.com/statistics/456500/daily-number-of-e-mails-worldwide/
3 https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/forensics/gecs-2020/pdf/global-economic-crime-and-fraud-survey-2020.pdf
4 https://www.statista.com/statistics/456500/daily-number-of-e-mails-worldwide/
5 https://www.idagent.com/blog/reduce-insider-threats-by-building-a-strong-security-culture/
