There is a threat from hackers to executives and senior managers that is growing. It’s called “whaling” and it is not spam. It is actually very targeted email where they know your name, title, company, and other names in the organization.
There are a few variations, but this is the one that we hear most often: The CFO or controller gets an email from the CEO and is told that he or she needs to wire money to a specific account before the end of the day. There is typically a reason for the urgency included in the email.
The hackers have spoofed the email (made it look like it was coming from someone who did not really send it) or in some cases have actually gotten access to the executive’s email. While we have all gotten used to communicating via email, it is worth the extra effort to confirm that any financial transactions are legitimate.
We recommend that companies set up a process for verification for any financial transactions sent via email or text. That is the most reliable way to ensure that you do not fall victim to hackers. As security software gets more sophisticated and more companies use it, hackers are turning to tricking users as their easiest way to get through IT security.
Improving Your IT Security
If you would like guidance on implementing IT security best practices, we would be glad to help. Skyriver IT makes implementing and staying current on IT best practices easy. Contact us to find out how you can improve your IT security.
