Phishing Attack Awareness Training

📱⚠️ Just received my first #smishing (SMS phishing) attempt during the holiday season from a #cybercriminal, and it's a classic example of social engineering at work. The text claimed to be from United States Postal Service, stating a package couldn't be delivered due to incomplete address details, and it asked me to confirm my address via a link. Once you click on the link....bad things will happen. You might so to #phishing website designed to steal your username and password or other sensitive info. In the wake of Black Friday, many of us are eagerly awaiting package deliveries, making this scam particularly insidious. While you might not fall for such a ploy, think about your family members who might not be as vigilant. 🧐 #CyberSecure Mindset Tips: Verify Independently: Don’t trust unsolicited texts. Contact the courier or retailer directly through their official website or customer service number. Don’t Click Links: Avoid clicking on links in unsolicited messages. They often lead to fake websites designed to steal your information. Educate Your Circle: Share these tips with friends and family. Awareness is key to prevention. Report Suspicious Messages: Forward these texts to spam reporting numbers or report them to the appropriate authorities. Remember, during my time with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), I learned that staying safe online requires a community effort. Let’s help each other out and keep our digital space secure. Have you or your loved ones encountered similar scams? Share your stories and let’s spread awareness! #CyberSecurityAwareness #SmishingScams #OnlineSafety #StayAlert #CommunitySafety

I don’t think people understand how important the psychology of decision-making under pressure impacts the success of cybersecurity awareness training. Let me explain how… First, Stress Impacts Decision-Making. Under pressure, people are more likely to make impulsive decisions rather than carefully considered ones. To proof this theory to my audience, I use an activity during my workshops where I trick them to attempt to answer a question under pressure. For the first few minutes,because I put them on a time pressure, they keep shouting different plausible answers at me until someone reads my question again to see that the question itself, is WRONG. This is exactly what the bad guys do! Most awareness training focuses on teaching employees “what to do” in ideal scenarios but doesn’t prepare them for high-stress situations. Secondly, we forget that human decision-making is influenced by cognitive biases like authority bias (trusting an email because it appears to come from a superior) or urgency bias (responding quickly to avoid perceived consequences). Our trainings today rarely addresses these psychological biases, leaving people vulnerable to well-crafted deception attacks. Thirdly, Multitasking and Distraction Increase Risk! People often make cybersecurity decisions while multitasking or in a state of distraction, which training rarely accounts for. This 4th point is very important- Emotional Manipulation by Attackers Cybercriminals exploit human emotions like fear, greed, curiosity, and even empathy. For example, a phishing email may create a sense of urgency by threatening account suspension or appeal to empathy by posing as a charity. Awareness trainings rarely teaches employees how to recognize and resist emotional manipulation tactics. In 2025, I challenge you to do better! Make sure your trainings go beyond technical instructions and focus on emotional awareness, and practical habits that people can apply in real-world situations. Go past the technical tips and tricks, address the psychology issues. Its people (not robots) we are trying to shape for goodness sake!…tap into their humanity more than the bad guys can! #cybersecurity #informationsecurity #psychology

How many signs of phishing can you spot in this email? I am getting more and more of this exact type of fake invoice phish. In fact, a lot of them aren't even getting caught by spam these days. So, let's spread the security awareness to help others avoid falling for it. How many signs of phishing can you spot in this image? Alternatively, what common signs do you NOT see, which is likely how it is avoiding spam filters? Here is what I see on this one (SPOILERS): 🔻 From a generic gmail.com account 🔻 No personal greeting - it is all generic 🔻 The ID number in the subject doesn't match any other numbers in the email or the Invoice number in the attached PDF (visible but hard to see here) 🔻 The text is repetitive and very difficult to read 🔻 The PDF says "Norton from Symantec" but the email doesn't contain any branding or contact details Now, here is what I DON'T see which security awareness programs always highlight: 🔹 Call to *urgent* action 🔹 A link to click 🔹 Typos or spelling errors (grammar problems not withstanding) So, what actions can you tell people to avoid falling victim? 🔸 Never trust incoming email, particularly from sources you haven't seen before 🔸 If an email says you paid a bill you don't remember paying, check your bank accounts FIRST. If you don't see the bill, the email is almost certainly spam. 🔸 Never be afraid to forward an email like this to somebody else and ask for a second opinion on it. 🔸 Don't call the phone number or respond to an email like this. Look up the company in Google and call the official support number. #security #cybersecurity #spam #phishing #securityawareness

Friendly Reminder : 🚨Awareness Training is Not Enough!🚨 Many companies invest heavily in cybersecurity awareness training, but if the organizational culture doesn't prioritize security or provide continuous education, these efforts may fall short. Cybersecurity isn't just about checking a box. It's about embedding security into the very fabric of our organizational culture. When security becomes a core value, it influences every decision, behavior, and practice within the company. 🔒 Key Points to Consider: 1. Beyond Training Sessions: Awareness training shouldn't be a one-time event. It requires continuous education and engagement to keep employees vigilant and informed about evolving threats. 2. Culture is Key: A strong security culture means that every employee, from the C-suite to the entry-level, understands the importance of cybersecurity and acts accordingly. It’s about creating an environment where security is everyone’s responsibility. 3. Practical Application: Employees should not only learn about cybersecurity in theory but also practice it in their daily activities. Real-world scenarios and hands-on experiences can reinforce the training material. 4. Leadership Involvement: Leadership must champion cybersecurity initiatives and lead by example. When leaders prioritize security, it sets a precedent for the rest of the organization. 5. Ongoing Communication: Keep the conversation about cybersecurity alive. Regular updates, reminders, and open discussions can help maintain a high level of awareness and preparedness. Let’s move beyond the checkbox mentality and build a robust cybersecurity culture that truly protects our organizations. What are your thoughts? How do you integrate cybersecurity into your company’s culture? Share your experiences and let’s discuss how we can enhance our training programs to be more effective! #Cybersecurity #AwarenessTraining #CyberCulture #SecurityFirst #ContinuousEducation #LinkedInCommunity #cybersecurityawareness

I mentioned the article below yesterday. I have read it and want to review five key points and maybe present some potential new approaches to Cyber awareness training because it isn’t working as intended. For years, the cybersecurity world, including myself and my friends, has relied on awareness campaigns to combat scams, fraud, and cybercrime, but the hard truth noted in this paper is that most fail to create lasting behavioral change. I think we can all agree, and the paper notes that knowledge is important, but awareness alone can really no longer be considered enough. Cybercriminals exploit human psychology, adapt faster than awareness campaigns, and operate in a system that leaves individuals to fend for themselves. Here are 5 key points from this research on why traditional awareness training falls short—and some ideas, I think, for a potentially smarter, more effective approach: 1. Awareness ≠ Action 🔍 The Problem: Knowing about scams doesn’t mean people take protective steps. Psychological triggers like fear, urgency, and trust bypass rational thinking and awareness is fleeting. 💡 Possible Solution: Shift focus to behavioral change, embedding habits like verifying links, enabling multi-factor authentication, and pausing before reacting emotionally. This will have to include more persistent discussions of the cyber stuff. 2. Cognitive Overload 🔍 The Problem: People are overwhelmed by a flood of warnings and red flags, leading to desensitization and inaction. 💡 The Solution: Use targeted, actionable messaging—not laundry lists. Incorporate nudges, like reminders to update passwords or check account activity. Again, this will require a constant, direct approach that is more than just one-off presentations. 3. Scammers Evolve Faster 🔍 The Problem: Scammers adapt quickly, exploiting new tech and vulnerabilities while awareness campaigns lag behind. (I think we all know this) 💡 The Solution: Integrate real-time threat updates into training programs. Use simulations to help people recognize evolving tactics. But, for the third time, we need more than one-offs. 4. Victim Blaming 🔍 The Problem: Campaigns often imply victims are responsible for their losses, adding shame to their experience and discouraging reporting. This is the research's conclusion. It may not be intentional, but I can see it. 💡 The Solution: Don't victim blame. Honestly, I haven't figured out this one. 5. Short-Term Gains, Long-Term Fade 🔍 The Problem: Training creates short bursts of knowledge, but behaviors revert without reinforcement. 💡 The Solution: See solutions 1-3 The New Way Forward: I honestly am still thinking about how this can work better. The paper discusses a lot more than these 5 areas. If you are interested in working with me on building a better way forward regarding cyber awareness, message me. If your company wants to test drive this new methodology, contact me also. #CyberSecurity #AwarenessTraining https://shorturl.at/BS2Gr

130 employees. 1 IT security person. A phishing attack. No, this isn't a horror movie. It's a Tuesday at a fast-growing fintech startup. When they reached out, they were in crisis mode. One overworked security professional was trying to protect an entire company from phishing attacks. Hiring a CISO would cost $250K+ annually. Complex security tools would take months to implement. We stepped in. Within 48 hours, we transformed their employees into active defenders. When someone clicked a simulated phishing email, they received immediate, personalized training. The math is simple: effective training = stronger security culture = fewer breaches. Within 90 days, their click-through rate on phishing attempts dropped by 87%. Likely, this story has a happy ending. The lesson? Stop seeing security training as compliance. Start seeing it as your competitive advantage. --------------------------------------------------- I'm Mary, making cybersecurity training accessible and engaging for everyone. Follow for practical tips to protect yourself and your organization from digital threats. Let's make security second nature, not second priority!

It’s not paranoia if they really are out to get you. And guess what? They are. While you’re busy worrying about VPNs and password policies, scammers are sliding into your employees’ DMs with sweet nothings, fake job offers, and “just one click” crypto deals. Welcome to the trifecta of human-targeted scams: - Romance - Recruitment - Financial fraud They don’t need root access if they’ve already got your heart, your résumé, or your retirement account. Are you protecting your people? Not just their inboxes. Them. Here’s what you’re up against: ❗Deepfake-enabled fraud: $200M lost—in just one quarter of 2025 ❗AI-generated crypto scams: $4.6B stolen in 2024—up 24% ❗Over 50% of leaders admit: no employee training on deepfakes ❗61% of execs: zero protocols for addressing AI-generated threats Companies spend millions locking down endpoints—then leave their employees to get catfished by a deepfake on Tinder. But here’s the good news: you’re not powerless. You just have to stop pretending a phishing test is a strategy (please). Here’s how to actually reduce risk: ✔️Make your training real. Include romance bait, fake recruiters, and deepfake voicemails. If your simulations don’t mirror reality, it’s not training—it’s theater. ✔️Train managers to notice when something’s off. Isolation. Sudden secrecy. Financial stress. These aren’t just HR problems—they’re prime conditions for social engineering. ✔️Build a culture where it’s safe to ask, “Is this sketchy?” If your people feel dumb for asking, they’ll stop asking—and that’s how scams slip through. ✔️Partner with HR. Online exploitation, financial manipulation, digital coercion—these are wellness issues and security issues. Treat them that way. ✔️Empower families, not just employees. Scams often hit home first. Make your materials so good they want to send them to their group chat. Bonus: they’ll bring those healthy habits right back to work. When you protect the human—not just the hardware—you don’t just lower risk. You build trust. And for the record? Paranoia gets a bad rap. Sometimes it’s just pattern recognition. #Cybersecurity #HumanRisk #AIThreats #Deepfake #RomanceScams #AI #RecruitmentFraud #InsiderThreat #Leadership #DigitalWellness #SpycraftForWork

🚨 Your next sales lead might not be human. A new Harvard study reveals AI-driven phishing with a 54% success rate - outperforming traditional methods by over 400%! I've been following the AI space closely, and this is a game-changer, but not in a good way. We're talking about AI that can fully automate phishing campaigns, accurately profiling 88% of targets using publicly available data. This isn't just about spam emails anymore. "The AI system fully automated both reconnaissance and email creation," meaning these attacks are sophisticated and personalized. What does this mean for B2B sales? Imagine meticulously crafted emails, seemingly from trusted sources, landing in your team's inboxes. The study found that "AI-generated phishing emails achieved a 54% click-through rate," far surpassing the 12% average for traditional spam. And the kicker? It's cheap. "AI campaigns reduced costs by up to 50x over manual attacks." This is a clear and present danger for businesses of all sizes, from SMBs to enterprises. Actionable Takeaways: -Train: Immediately implement mandatory training on identifying AI-generated phishing attempts for your entire sales team. Focus on recognizing inconsistencies and verifying requests through multiple channels. -Audit: Conduct a security audit of your current email and communication protocols within the next 7 days. Identify vulnerabilities and implement multi-factor authentication wherever possible. -Invest: Allocate budget this week to explore AI-powered cybersecurity solutions that can detect and block these advanced threats. As an AI expert, I can tell you that this is just the beginning. Want to discuss how to protect your business from the rising tide of AI-powered threats? Book a call with me: https://lnkd.in/eb-twspd What steps are you taking to prepare your team for this new reality? Share your thoughts below! #AI #Cybersecurity #Phishing #SalesStrategy #B2BSales

Quishing is one of the newest forms of phishing you'll have to deal with. It's a phishing attack where cybercriminals embed malicious links into seemingly innocent QR codes.  They then sneak these tainted codes into the physical world around you - flyers, advertisements, product labels and more. All it takes is one unsuspecting scan from your phone camera, and bam!   You're either redirected to a phishing site or you unintentionally initiate a malicious action on your device.  It's bringing phishing into the real world in a sneakier way. QR codes have become so mainstream and trusted that most people mindlessly scan them without a second thought.  Exactly the blind spot cybercriminals exploit with quishing to pull off attacks. So what can you do to prevent getting quished?  Start by training your employees to be more QR code aware and skeptical: 1. Institute a "No QR Code scanning" policy for unknown/random QR sources. 2. Use examples to highlight quishing red flags like QRs leading to suspect URLs. 3. Regularly remind employees about quishing. 4. Adopt technical controls to detect and block malicious QR code URLs. The humble QR code has gone rogue, courtesy of shady threat actors. Advanced email filters, like MailGuard, will spot scary QR codes in emails and stop them from reaching your team.   Don't let this new attack vector take you by surprise.  Get educated, get trained and stay vigilant against the latest phishing offshoots.