Stop! Think before you Click! Know the danger of clicking email links & attachments.
At Sentinel Computers we continually stress to our clients that the most common way of getting a virus in your system is when your staff do not understand the danger of clicking email links & attachments.
From Phishing, the term used for sending emails (considered the bait) with a link to a fake website, to a virus that captures everything you type into your computer like passwords and credit card numbers, to the dreaded ransomware virus that encrypts all of your data, a simple click on a link or attachment can cause chaos and downtime for your business.
Admittedly it is hard to tell the real from the fake and most of the emails you get will be perfectly fine… but how do you know which is which?
Amid warnings of the danger of clicking email links & attachments – how do you know which email links or attachments are safe to click?
Well, if you don’t click any of them you won’t have a problem. But that’s not realistic. Very few people will ever take that advice. The good news is you don’t have to. I suggest treating links like attachments. Only click it if you’re expecting it.
Examples of when to click
You just ordered something from Amazon. Feel free to click the shipment tracking link in the email they send you. Just make sure it’s exactly what you’re expecting. If you get a tracking link that you weren’t expecting, or for a product you don’t recognize, delete the email right away.
You just signed up for an account on a website. If they send you a link to confirm your email address, it’s okay to click it. But again, make sure it’s exactly what you’re expecting and you specifically remember requesting it.
Examples of when NOT to click
You get an unexpected email from your bank. Maybe it says that you need to log in and take care of something important. Don’t click the link they give you. If you didn’t know it was coming, there’s no guarantee it’s a legitimate email.
Your friend sends you a link that you weren’t expecting. Don’t click it. Remember, the sender’s address can be spoofed or their account hacked. Yeah, I know, this is all awfully annoying, so is there anything else we can do?
Read more of this informative article from tiptopsecurity,com