Protecting your business email from phishing attacks means putting in place measures to stop criminals tricking your staff into giving away sensitive information or clicking on harmful links. Phishing emails often look like legitimate messages from trusted contacts or organisations but are designed to steal passwords, install malware, or gain unauthorised access to your systems.
Why this matters for UK SMEs
Phishing attacks can cause serious disruption. For example, if an employee's email account is compromised, attackers might access confidential client data or financial information, leading to data breaches and reputational damage. This can result in downtime while you investigate and recover, loss of customer trust, and potential fines under UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018 if personal data is exposed. Additionally, phishing can be a stepping stone for ransomware attacks that lock your systems until a ransom is paid.
A typical scenario
Consider a UK SME with 50 staff where an employee receives an email appearing to be from a supplier, asking them to update payment details. The employee clicks the link and enters login credentials on a fake site. The attacker then uses these credentials to access the company's email system, intercept invoices, and redirect payments to themselves. A managed IT provider would help by implementing email filtering to block suspicious messages, training staff to recognise phishing signs, and setting up multi-factor authentication (MFA) to prevent access even if credentials are stolen.
Practical steps to protect your business email
- Ask your IT provider: Do you use advanced email filtering and anti-phishing tools? How do you monitor and respond to phishing attempts?
- Check for multi-factor authentication (MFA): Ensure MFA is enabled for all email accounts to add an extra layer of security beyond passwords.
- Staff training: Regularly educate your team on recognising phishing emails, suspicious links, and attachments.
- Review access controls: Limit email account permissions and regularly update password policies to enforce complexity and regular changes.
- Incident response plan: Confirm your provider has procedures to quickly contain and remediate phishing incidents.
- Backup and recovery: Verify that email data is backed up securely and can be restored promptly if compromised.
- Supplier and vendor checks: Include cybersecurity requirements like Cyber Essentials certification or ISO 27001 compliance in your IT provider selection criteria.
Phishing is a persistent threat, but with the right combination of technology, staff awareness, and expert support, you can significantly reduce the risk to your business. Speak with a trusted managed IT provider or cybersecurity advisor who understands the specific challenges UK SMEs face. They can help you implement effective controls that fit your budget and compliance needs, giving you greater confidence in your email security.