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    Phishing for information

    Spearfishing is exactly what you think it is and civilisations have used the method to feed from marine life for centuries. Spear phishing, on the other hand, is a relatively new way for hackers to feed from sensitive information online for their own malicious gain; be it financial, political or to cause disruption and embarrassment.
    This month, we commissioned a survey of 263 IT professionals in Irish businesses via TechPro magazine. The research gave us insights into how cyber security is driving change within organisations and IT departments.
    The research also discovered continued targeted attacks using relatively simple but highly effective means, such as phishing, against individuals within organisations. More than 48% of organisations said an employee was the subject of a personal, targeted or spear phishing attempt. In excess of a quarter organisations said they did not know if a member of their organisation had been targeted.
    Spear phishing usually looks like an email pretending to be from someone you know or another credible source like a bank or well-known brand. The origins of the email however are actually more nefarious and the sender is looking to extract money from the target or gain unauthorised access to confidential data. Signs like strange language or phrasing in the email can set off alarm bells, but often it’s hard to recognise such an attempt to hack.
    A recent Verizon data breach reports said 23% of people who receive a phishing email will open it. A further 11% will go on to click on the link or attachment. Phishing in all its guises; general, spear and whale; continues to be a very effective way for the “bad guys” to cause both personal and organisational damage.
    How to recognise phishing?
    It can sometimes be hard to spot in the heat of a busy work environment and overloaded inbox, but we all need to think twice about received emails. Remember, if in doubt – ask IT or a trusted information security expert. Here are some pointers to think about before you open an email.

    • Is this a credible source?
    • Does this person or organisation normally communicate with me in this way?
    • Do not divulge personal or financial information; a phone call to the supposed requester is best to check validity
    • Reduce spam as much as you can and make sure you have good quality firewalls, AV and other appropriate technical solutions in place
    • Thinks twice before clicking links, downloading files or opening attachments
    • Beware of pop-ups
    Insights

    Discerning the security risk to the individual and the…

    Technology has managed to further blur the line between work and personal life, which was already a fine line to begin with. Mobile devices and smart devices means we are contactable at all hours. Having access to work applications on our phones and laptops mean we can work anywhere. It also makes us more likely to swipe and refresh our work email as often as if it’s a social networking site.
    With that in mind Ward Solutions, in association with TechPro, commissioned an information security survey. The survey looked at discerning the security risk to both the individual and the organisation; a risk which has come about as the office expands into the home.
    The survey is now closed. Stay tuned for detailed results!
    Contact our team if you have any information security needs we can help you with.

    Insights

    Award Season: Ward Solutions shortlisted for Company of the…

    The team at Ward Solutions is delighted to announce that we have been shortlisted for the prestigious and competitive Company of the Year Award at the upcoming Tech Excellence Awards 2015.
    Pat Larkin, co-founder and director, Ward Solutions, said, “The nomination recognises the hard work, passion and great attitudes within our whole team. It also recognises our commitment to the customer and our mantra of always ‘doing the right thing’ by the customer.”
    Ward Solutions was shortlisted by an expert panel of judges for achievements during 2014, including growth of both revenue and employee numbers; new investment; new customer wins; new services and innovation.
    Our dedicated provision of information security services has led to a customer retention rate of over 98 per cent.
    A huge announcement for Ward Solutions last year was that we bolstered our team of information security personnel with 22 new jobs across our Dublin and Belfast offices and we were delighted that this achievement was recognised.
    Judges also considered Ward’s new services and innovation throughout 2014, which included Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP), a new eLearning platform and our popular ‘Information Officer as a Service’.
    The Tech Excellence Awards are in their fifteenth year and acknowledge excellence in implementing tech solutions, the business of marketing and implementing technology for business.
    The Awards Presentation Night will take place on Thursday 14 May in the Ballsbridge Hotel, Dublin 4, where Ward is nominated alongside five other companies for the honour of Company of the Year.
    If you want to hear more about Ward’s services, why not get in touch with the team.