Did you know:

  • That smishing is phishing via text message (SMS) while vishing is phishing via voice/telephone
  • That while 96% of phishing attacks are delivered via email there is an alarming increase in phone/text phishing
    • Watchout! People’s personal devices lack security protocols available on corporate devices and we have not yet become suspicious of text messages
    • Common smishing attacks include texts purportedly from your bank alerting you of a possible unauthorized transaction and giving you a link to stop it
    • Attackers are pouring resources into this platform because 98% of texts are read versus 20% of emails
  • 74% of US Businesses ProofPoint surveyed reported a successful phishing attack in the past year
  • Google has registered 2.14M phishing sites as of January 2021 – that’s a 30% increase from the previous year
    • Malicious websites “spoof” or look like legitimate websites
    • They are very hard to spot but if they automatically ask you to run software or download a file – beware!
    • If the website tells you that your device is infected with malware or browser extensions are out of date – beware!
    • The number one way to arrive at a malicious website is through a link on a phishing email – it is unlikely you’ll stumble upon one though a Google search

Yes, the statistics are scary. However, awareness and education are still the number one weapon in cybersecurity as it is the human layer – the user – that is number one culprit for the success of these types of attacks.

Here are a couple of golden rules to follow when it comes to avoiding scams

  • If you think you are getting scammed or phished, you probably are
  • Avoid clicking any external links or attachments unless you have verified (in real-time) with the sender what you should be clicking on
  • Always go to the actual website to make payments or verify information
  • If in doubt, call us, we’ll help you figure out if you are on the wrong track

If you are a Hybridge client, you can sign up for a free initial Cyber Security Training for your team. We can also help you craft a complete cybersecurity strategy for your business. Give us a call or send us an email to learn more about these services. We can be reached at 888-353-1763 or at support (at) hybridge.com


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