How to Develop A Human Firewall Against Phishing in Business

Over a hundred thousand phishing scams were reported in Australia in 2023, according to Statista. It’s by far the most common method of cyberattacks. Hackers can manipulate and get access to your business data. They can steal and misuse it. This affects the security of everyone involved in the business. It includes staff, owners, partners, and consumers. Your business reputation can be harmed greatly.  Among various security measures, the human firewall is an effective one. You need your employees to be aware of phishing to prevent it from affecting your business. 

Why Is a Human Firewall Important for Security?

A human firewall is your first line of defence against cyberattacks. You have cautious and careful employees who are aware of phishing attacks. Employees often have access to vital information about a business. They should be aware of not sharing their credentials with others. 

You can use different powerful tools to enhance security. But, if the employees are not aware of the threats, they can be tricked into sharing important information. It spoils all your efforts to strengthen the security. Even those who don’t have access to the core database need to be trained. Hackers may try to get access to their devices. They can install harmful or spy software and steal important data. 

The success of phishing highly depends on the targeted human response. When you have skilled and knowledgeable employees, they can contribute to phishing attack prevention. 

How to Develop A Human Firewall in Your Business?

Employees may not be aware of cybersecurity, cybercriminals, or phishing attacks. You have to take steps to teach them about these. They should also be aware of your business’s anti-phishing strategies. In order to do that, you can take the following steps:

Develop A Clearly Defined Security Policy

Your business needs to have detailed IT Security policies. It will guide employees on how to protect data. They can also get a proper idea of what information they are allowed to share. When a new employee joins, he should receive a copy of the policies with the joining letter. 

Make sure the policy includes everything. It can be basic safety internet uses to protect sensitive information. The policies need to outline the rules and procedures. 

You need to ensure everyone has understood the policies. If necessary, arrange for a session to explain the policies in plain terms. Written policies often use difficult jargon. Have your legal experts explain them in easier words. It will help them understand the value of keeping data secure. Keep your policies up-to-date so that it contains no loopholes. 

Have A Strong Security Control

A strong security control gives protection against cyber attacks. You can benefit from utilising cyber threat intelligence. Analysing criminal trends and reports will help you prepare beforehand. 

You also need to implement online security measures to safeguard your systems. It includes a human firewall along with other options, such as:

• Firewalls
• Antivirus software
• Secure passwords
• Multi-step verification
• Password-less authentication, etc. 

Make sure your IT department regularly updates these defences. 

Hire A Dedicated Team for Cyber Security

You need a dedicated team for cybersecurity. The team should solely focus on protecting your business from cyber threats. You can outsource a security team as well. It will save you costs without compromising security. They can also offer their service from remote places. You won’t need additional space in the office. 

IT security experts are trained in phishing email identification. They can detect suspicious activities early and prevent scams. The team can also protect against social engineering scams. Such scams trick your employees into giving away sensitive information. A cybersecurity team knows how to spot these tactics and can warn other employees. 

The security team monitors your systems for unusual activity. This allows them to detect and address issues promptly. They keep track of updates and trends and implement them in your business. 

Arrange Training Programs

You can arrange security awareness programs on a regular basis. They will learn about various methods and techniques of phishing. This will help them understand when they are being attacked. Focus on the following aspects:

• Importance of cybersecurity
• Common cyber threats
• Introduce corporate cybersecurity defence
• How to identify phishing emails
• Why they need to avoid clicking on suspicious links
• How to create and manage strong passwords
• Social engineering tactics, etc.

This will increase email scam protection in your organisation. You can also include lessons on online security measures. Make attendance on these programs mandatory. Every employee needs to learn how many ways they can be phished. Awareness can help prevent these attacks. 

You should let professionals handle these programs. They understand these issues better and know how to explain them. 

Promote A Safety Culture 

Employees often don’t think much about business security. They think it’s out of their league. You have to break this and develop a safety culture. Encourage them to talk about safety issues and potential cyber threats. The more they talk about them, the better they will be able to understand their significance. 

Create an environment where employees can openly share their points, views, and problems. They can help each other to identify phishing. Regular discussion will make security a major priority in the office. 

Take steps to promote cyber awareness. You can arrange for rewards for those who follow safe practices. This will encourage other staff as well. When everyone talks and cares about cyber security, you can rely on such a human firewall. It will be almost impossible for hackers to set a phishing trap on your employees. 

Employees Should Own It

You need to motivate the employees to respect safety practices. Having policies and applying rules is not enough. Employees should get the feeling that it’s their responsibility. Explain the value of their contribution to office security and business growth. 

Arrange for regular recreation programs. It can be a group tour, lunch, or a weekly meeting with different teams. These can be effective approaches to enhance team bonding. When employees feel better working in a place, they like to contribute more. It improves their dedication and love for the company. They will care about security and establish a strong human firewall against phishing. 

Identify the Employees Who Are Prone to Attacks

Not everyone has the same information access in a business. Some have access to more information. They are often experienced and difficult to trick. Hackers, therefore, often tend to target employees with less experience. You may arrange for an assessment of how much important data an employee has access to. Analyse their safety knowledge and practices.

If they are not aware of phishing scams, arrange a training session for them. Important figures in the office need more security. Besides, they can also share their experience with other members. This brings about a positive change regarding security. 

Keep Track of Security Trends

You have to admit that cybercriminals have merit. They come up with new techniques to trick people. It’s important to stay updated about the new trends of phishing. It will help you and your business stay safe from those attacks. 

Your human firewall may not be very effective if they are not aware of the trendy traps. They may get tricked and share information without knowing. Such incidents can be harmful to business. You can do the following to prevent such loss:

• You can arrange newsletters to keep your employees updated about phishing trends
• Follow credible cybersecurity experts on social media 
• Participate in cybersecurity webinars, seminars, and conferences
• Network with peers and colleagues 
• Implement a system for reporting and analysing security incidents 

Final Words

Phishing can destroy a growing business. Data leaks do not only cost you financially. It also affects your reputation. It will be a huge problem to win back the trust. A strong human firewall could save you from such incidents. ITTechbox protects businesses from phishing and other cyber attacks. We have a big team of experts to protect your business. We provide network security, staff training, and managed IT services across Brisbane. Our expert team can help you develop a human firewall and prevent phishing.