The shorthand answe
r is yes. Scammers evolve their methods as technology progresses, employing AI-based tactics to make targeted phishing more efficient.
If phishing didn’t continue returning benefits, then scammers would move on to another type of
attack. But that hasn’t been the case. People continue to get tricked.
In May of 2021, phishing attacks increased by 281%. Then in June, they spiked another 284% higher.
Studies show that as soon as 6 months after a person has been trained on phishing identification, their detection skills can begin waning as they forget things.
Give employees a “hook” they can use for memory retention by introducing the SLAM method of phishing identification.
What is the SLAM Method for phishing identification?
One of the mnemonic devices known to help people remember information they are taught is the
use of an acronym. SLAM is an acronym for four key areas of an email message that should be
checked before trusting it.
These are:
S = Sender
L = Links
A = Attachments
M = Message text
By giving people the term “SLAM” to remember, it’s quicker for them to do a check on any suspicious or unexpected email without missing something important. All they need to do is run down the cues in the acronym.
S = Check the sender
It’s important to check the sender of an email thoroughly. Often scammers will either spoof
an email address or use a look-alike address that people easily mistake for the real thing.
L = Hover over links without clicking
Hyperlinks are popular to use in emails because they can often get past antivirus/anti-malware filters. You should always hover over links without clicking on them to reveal the true URL.
This often can immediately call out a fake email scam due to them pointing to a strangely named or misspelled website.
A = Never Open Unexpected or Strange File Attachments
Never open strange or unexpected file attachments, and make sure all attachments are scanned by an antivirus/anti-malware application before opening.
M = Read the message carefully
If you rush through a phishing email, you can easily miss some telltale signs that it’s a fake, such
as spelling or grammatical errors.
Get help combating phishing attacks
Both awareness training and security software can improve your defenses against phishing
attacks. Contact us today to discuss your email security needs.
Phishing scams don’t discriminate. Anyone can fall victim to this level of cyber crime. For more information on how we can better protect you from scams, please give us a call today.
