Phishing Attacks: How to Spot and Stop Them

Phishing attacks remain one of the most effective ways for criminals to compromise business networks. The reason is simple: they work. A single successful phishing email that tricks one employee into revealing their password or clicking a malicious link can be the entry point for a major breach.

What Makes Phishing Successful

Phishing works because it exploits human psychology, not just technology. A well-crafted phishing email creates urgency and authority. It often appears to come from a trusted source—your bank, your IT department, a vendor you work with.

Urgency: "Your account has been compromised" or "Click here to verify your payment method" feels time-sensitive.
Authority: The email appears to come from someone you trust—a company, your boss, a service provider.
Legitimacy: The email may include logos, realistic formatting, and details that match genuine communications.

Modern phishing is also increasingly sophisticated. Rather than the obvious scams of the past, attackers now research their targets, personalise their attacks, and mimic legitimate business processes.

How to Spot a Phishing Attack

While some phishing attempts are crude, others are polished. Here's what to watch for:

Check the sender email address: Hover over the sender name (don't click it). Is it actually from the company it claims to be? Attackers often use addresses like "applesupport@applees.com" or slight variations on legitimate domains.
Look for generic greetings: "Dear Customer" or "Dear User" instead of your name is a red flag. Companies usually personalise their emails.
Examine links before clicking: Hover over links (don't click) to see where they actually lead. If it says "Verify Your Account" but the link goes to a suspicious URL, it's likely phishing.
Watch for spelling and grammar errors: Legitimate companies proofread their communications. Phishing emails often contain typos or awkward phrasing.
Be suspicious of unexpected attachments: Don't open attachments from unknown senders or unsolicited attachments from known senders.

Golden Rule: If an email creates urgency around passwords, account access, or money, treat it with extreme suspicion. Legitimate companies rarely ask for this information via email.

What to Do If You Spot Phishing

Don't click anything: Close the email.
Report it: Forward it to your IT department immediately so they can warn others.
Delete it: Remove it from your inbox.
If you already clicked: Tell your IT team right away so they can monitor for compromise.

Protecting Your Team

No technical filter will catch every phishing attack. The best defence is an informed team. Regular security training teaches employees to recognise and report phishing attempts rather than falling victim.

Action Items: Implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) on all critical accounts, conduct quarterly security awareness training, and have a simple process for reporting suspicious emails.

Phishing remains effective because it's cheap for attackers and requires only one person to slip up. By staying vigilant and training your team to do the same, you dramatically reduce your risk.