Anti-Phishing Software: Block Harmful Attacks

Scammers are willing to try every trick in the book. One method, called phishing, has been quickly gaining popularity online.

Why?

Because victims literally hand over the vital pieces of information the criminals want.

So what precautions can you take against these attempts? How can you avoid falling prey to social engineering?

Not clicking on suspicious links is a good place to start.

But you can up your security by using anti-phishing software, as these programs are specially designed to keep cybercriminals out.

Phishing email attacks

anti phishing software

 

The most common place you’ll find phishing attempts is through email. This is because scammers can send out emails in bulk, which maximizes their chances of success.

 

As time’s gone on, phishing cybercriminals have gotten more and more clever. Early phishing email attempts were easily recognizable as they usually came in plain text, plus had telltale misspellings and grammar errors.

 

But nowadays, scammers go to such great lengths in imitating trusted institutions that you’d be hard-pressed to tell the difference. It’s easy to feel wary and paranoid about every email sitting in your inbox.

 

Is that email asking for you to confirm your account number and PIN really from your bank? Or is it from a cybercriminal?

 

It’s impossible to tell at times. But there are ways to safeguard your information with anti-phishing techniques.

 

Anti-phishing techniques

Proactiveness is the best way to protect yourself from anti-phishing scams. Some great anti-phishing techniques to use include:

 

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Not clicking on any attachments from emails you weren’t expecting.

Cybercriminals usually try to pique your interest by attaching something like a tracking number, so you feel compelled to click on it. Once you do, it installs a virus on your computer.

 

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Typing in the website yourself instead of clicking links.

If you receive emails asking you to confirm or change sensitive information, go to the website yourself and take the appropriate actions there. Even if the email’s from a trusted institution. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

 

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Using a firewall and always keeping it up-to-date.

This is the wall between you and the digital world, so make sure it’s secure and strong. Falling behind on updates compromises its efficiency since vulnerabilities can be exploited.

 

Prevention is key, but it may not always work. For that, you can rely on some anti-phishing solutions to keep your sensitive information safe and sound still.

 

Anti-phishing solutions

Everyone uses their computer for different purposes, and on different operating systems as well. So naturally, there are various ways cybercriminals can run phishing scams. Here are a few anti-phishing solutions based on what you’re running.

 

Anti-phishing: Office 365

If you use Office 365 regularly, you’ll be pleased to know they have anti-phishing protection built in as part of Office 365 Advanced Threat Protection. This service uses machine learning and impersonation detection algorithms to ensure security against phishing attacks.

 

The administrator of your business just has to set up the ATP anti-phishing policies in order to protect your entire network from cybercriminals.

 

Best anti-phishing software for Mac

Whenever you get a computer, one of the first things you should do is install antivirus protection. Most, if not all, of the antivirus software for Mac PCs already come with anti-phishing protection. So as long as you choose one that’s reputable and well-known, you should have the best anti-phishing software for Mac.

 

Anti-phishing toolbar

A great second line of defense to phishing attacks is installing an anti-phishing toolbar. That way, if anyone who’s less computer-savvy uses your device, they won’t put you at any additional risks.

 

With an anti-phishing toolbarYour browser will be protected from any unscrupulous attempts whenever you click a link.

 

For any of your elderly relatives, this can also be a great way to keep them safe while they’re online.

 

When you combine an anti-phishing toolbar with your antivirus program, your computer should be well-protected from any phishing attacks. Whatever may accidentally slip through the cracks of one should be caught by the other.

 

Anti-phishing tools: free download

You can find plenty of free anti-phishing tools to download, including toolbars. However, take care when you’re considering installing anything.

 

Some of these free anti-phishing tools may actually be phishing attempts themselves,

so always do your research before you download anything. If you see a program you think you may like, take a few minutes to do a Google search and see what people are saying about it.

 

If your search turns up clean, then great, give that anti-phishing tool a download. But if people are saying they’ve fallen victim to a phishing attack because of the program, then give it a pass and research some more.

Enterprise-class email protection without the enterprise price

For flexible per-user pricing, PhishProtection’s integrated email security solution protects your employees from business email compromise (BEC) and many other email threats. 24×7. On any device. With features you’d expect in more expensive solutions:

All Plans Come With

  • Stops business email compromise (BEC)
  • Stops brand forgery emails
  • Stop threatening emails before they reach the inbox
  • Continuous link checking
  • Real-time website scanning
  • Real time alerts to users and administrators
  • Protection with settings you control
  • Protection against zero day vulnerabilities
  • Complete situational awareness from web-based console

Join 7500+ Organizations that use Phish Protection

Phish Protection works with System Administrators, IT Professionals and IT Executives in thousands of companies worldwide. Sign up and protect your organization from phishing attacks in less than 5 minutes