Anti-Phishing Software: Mitigate the Risk of Data Breaches Caused by Human Error

03/01/2023

 

Did You Know? 

 

95% of cybersecurity breaches are caused by human error1	84% of organisations suffered a successful phishing attack last year2	79% of M365 email users experienced an outage because of an attack3

 

What is Anti-Phishing Software?

Anti-phishing software is a type of email security that identifies sophisticated phishing attacks. It helps to mitigate the risks posed from data breaches caused by human error, ensuring your organisation remains data compliant.

The software’s colour-coded and contextual banners warn users about any potential phishing threats, preventing them from clicking on or blocking malicious links or attachments within an email.

 

 

Anti-phishing software should be deployed as part of a multi-layered approach to cybersecurity, helping to detect advanced phishing threats that can normally evade email security gateways.

Compared to traditional perimeter-based security, a multi-layered approach uses separate defence solutions that are incorporated into layers, working in conjunction with each other to secure data and networks from breaches. Along with anti-phishing software these essential security solutions include:

- Security Awareness	- Email Protection
- Endpoint Security	- Firewalls
- Secure Web Protection	- Multi-factor Authentication
- Zero Trust Security	- Application Whitelisting
- Storage and Backup Protection	- Cloud Recovery and Backup
- Secure Hybrid Working	- Cyber Essentials Certification

 

Why is Anti-Phishing Software Important?

Did you know that 90% of data security breaches stem from malicious phishing emails that capitalise on exploiting human error?⁴ As attacks become more sophisticated and dangerous, it is important not to rely on the built-in email security provided by M365.

While M365 offers a basic level of email security, it lacks the advanced anti-phishing and threat protection that will secure your organisation against modern attacks and data breaches. To fill the security gap, organisations should invest in an additional third-party email security solution. Deploying anti-phishing software will strengthen your cybersecurity posture against targeted threats such as:

- Spam	- Extortion
- Malware	- Business Email Compromise
- Data Exfiltration	- Conversation Hijacking
- Scamming	- Lateral Phishing
- Spear Phishing	- Account Take Over
- Domain Impersonation	- URL Phishing
- Brand Impersonation

 

Advanced cloud-based anti-phishing software helps you to identify what’s hiding in your inbox by:

 

	Preventing Phishing Attacks - Advanced detection emulates a cybersecurity expert when analysing potential phishing emails
	Mitigating Email Security Risks - Reduces the risk of human error from inbound attacks and secures against outbound risks such as data loss
	Avoiding Alert Fatigue - Minimises the risk of users ignoring alerts altogether
	Building Your First Line of Defence - Clear and intuitive real-time banners build increased cyber awareness
	Activating a Second Line of Defence - Blocks threats if users accidentally click on a malicious link
	Always Protecting People - Anti-phishing software is compatible with desktop, mobile devices, and outlook web access. Perfect for hybrid or fully remote working!

 

How Does Anti-Phishing Software Work?

 

Cybercriminal sends a phishing email claiming to be from a trusted entity	Anti-phishing software detects potential threats using machine learning and natural language content and context analysis	Colour-coded contextual banners warn users about potential phishing threats, providing learning at point of risk	Users become a key part of your cybersecurity defences, helping to detect threats and prevent data breaches

 

Why Can’t Phishing Emails be Blocked Completely?

There is no single software or cybersecurity defence that can block phishing emails altogether. Phishing can be difficult to spot as the sending email addresses are usually genuine accounts, look-a-like domains or accounts that have been compromised. Attempting to stop all phishing emails could also result in a potentially high number of false positives where genuine emails are blocked. Therefore, we always recommend a multi-layered approach to cybersecurity for comprehensive protection against all types of malicious cyberthreats.

  

Supercharge Your Email Security and Protect Your Inbox Against Targeted Attacks

Turn the human layer of your organisation into a cybersecurity asset! Our cloud-based anti-phishing software seamlessly integrates with Microsoft Outlook helping to protect your M365 environment from the devastating and costly effects of phishing.

As a leading provider of cybersecurity for businesses and schools serving Cornwall, Devon and the South West, NCI Technologies can support your organisation to improve its defences against modern cyber threats.

For more information contact us or book a Teams or in-person meeting with our friendly Sales Team.

 

Sources

_{¹ The Hacker News – Why Human Error is #1 Cyber Security Threat to Businesses in 2021}

_{² Egress – Fighting Phishing: The IT Leader’s View}

_{³ Mimecast State of Email Security Report SOES 2022}

_{⁴ Mimecast.com}

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