{"id":645,"date":"2024-09-09T13:53:19","date_gmt":"2024-09-09T18:53:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/bothell-wa-1091\/?p=645"},"modified":"2024-09-09T13:53:19","modified_gmt":"2024-09-09T18:53:19","slug":"why-are-phishing-attacks-on-the-rise-in-2024-heres-how-to-protect-your-smb-this-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cmitsolutions.com\/bothell-wa-1091\/blog\/why-are-phishing-attacks-on-the-rise-in-2024-heres-how-to-protect-your-smb-this-year\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Are Phishing Attacks on the Rise in 2024? Here\u2019s How To Protect Your SMB This Year"},"content":{"rendered":"

Phishing attacks<\/span><\/a> have skyrocketed in the past year. In fact, Zscaler\u2019s 2024 phishing report noted a <\/span>58.2% rise in phishing attacks<\/span><\/a>, with more than 2 billion phishing transactions on record.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Experts predict next year\u2019s report will see a higher phishing rate.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Clearly, these attacks are becoming more sophisticated. They pose an even greater threat to business owners who may not have the expertise or resources to combat new phishing techniques.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But the first step of defense is understanding why these phishing attacks are rising so you can start planning the best ways to fight back. Let\u2019s take a closer look at the reasons causing the surge.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

[Related: <\/b>How To Protect Your Business From Cyber Threats<\/b><\/a>]<\/b><\/p>\n

Why Are Phishing Attacks Increasing?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Phishing attack rates are rising fast \u2014 and for more reasons than one.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Advanced Social Engineering Techniques<\/span><\/h3>\n

Phishing attacks were once basic deceptive emails that you could identify relatively easily, IT expert or not.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Now, they\u2019ve evolved into highly sophisticated social engineering tactics.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Cybercriminals are leveraging advanced techniques similar to psychological manipulation that trick employees into revealing sensitive information or clicking malicious links.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

These tactics are increasingly difficult to detect because they appear especially trustworthy and are thus more effective.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

[Related: <\/b>How To Identify Six Different Types of Hackers<\/b><\/a>]<\/b><\/p>\n

Increased Remote Work<\/span><\/h3>\n

At this point, <\/span>remote work<\/span><\/a> isn\u2019t a new concept. But it\u2019s sometimes easy to forget the cybersecurity risks involved with working from home.<\/span><\/p>\n

Working remotely expands the attack surface for cybercriminals because employees use more external, out-of-office devices to carry out daily work.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

In the moment, it may not seem like a big deal to bounce between professional and personal tasks on your devices at home or elsewhere outside the office. But <\/span>more often than not<\/span><\/a>, it ends up leading to complex and costly problems.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

And unfortunately, employees don\u2019t have the same level of security at home as they do at the office. And someone\u2019s not always there to consult if a shady situation arises.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But fortunately, <\/span>CMIT Solutions of Bothell<\/span><\/a> is available 24\/7 to provide <\/span>managed services assistance<\/span><\/a> when issues come up.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

[Related: <\/b>5 Managed IT Statistics Every Small Business Could Learn From<\/b><\/a>]<\/b><\/p>\n

Widespread Use of Cloud Services<\/span><\/h3>\n

The adoption of <\/span>cloud services<\/span><\/a> has escalated, which regrettably provides more opportunities for phishing attacks.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For example, cybercriminals exploit weaknesses in cloud security configurations and often target users by creating fake login pages to steal their credentials.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

That\u2019s not to say your business should avoid <\/span>cloud solutions<\/span><\/a>. But as more and more businesses rely on those cloud-based applications, the potential for phishing attacks increases.<\/span><\/p>\n

SMBs as Easy Targets<\/span><\/h3>\n

SMBs are a well-known target for cybercrime because hackers view them as vulnerable and easy to manipulate.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Again, SMBs don\u2019t always have the in-house knowledge or tools to protect themselves. It really comes down to limited resources.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The <\/span>IT professionals at CMIT Solutions of Bothell<\/span><\/a> have the training, technology and defense mechanisms that help your SMB become a stronger entity to fight phishing campaigns.<\/span><\/p>\n

[Related: <\/b>How To Guard Your Network From Insider Threats<\/b><\/a>]<\/b><\/p>\n

AI and Automation in Phishing<\/span><\/h3>\n

Cybercriminals are now using artificial intelligence (AI) and automation more than ever to conduct large-scale phishing attacks. And AI technology is only becoming stronger, smarter and more advanced.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For example, AI can craft highly personalized and convincing phishing emails. Meanwhile, automation allows attackers to quickly reach a vast number of potential victims.<\/span><\/p>\n

Staying up to date with the latest phishing methods is crucial.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How To Protect Your SMB From Phishing Attacks<\/span><\/h2>\n

So, how can you best protect your data? Ideally, you\u2019ll leave the work to <\/span>experts like us at CMIT<\/span><\/a>. But you can strengthen your defenses on your own in some ways.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Here are key areas to consider:<\/span><\/p>\n