You, or someone you know, have invariably received a phishing email or text message. For some, a phishing email is a simple request for assistance by someone purporting to be your colleague or employee. It is often sent at an odd hour (think 5:30 A.M. or 8:30 P.M.) and begins a vague request for assistance, such as:

"Hey, I am stuck in a meeting but I need your assistance. Are you in the office right now and able to assist". 

For others, phishing emails come from a person pretending to be Dropbox or another recognized service and requesting that you download some resource or document. The goal of all these emails is the same-to get you to do something that benefits the fraudsters on the other end, such as sending them money [sometimes by installing ransomware on your computer] or giving up your Social Security number, account numbers or login credentials. 

The Federal Trade Commission provides resources to help businesses address cybersecurity, including the risks posed by phishing. Check out the FTC website here. 

Specific advice concerning phishing attacks can be found here and here. They include calling the sender or a colleague to verify the bona fides of the request, keeping computer security software updated and implementing email authentication technology .

In addition, Rob Kleeger, the Founder & Managing Director of Digital4nx Group, Ltd., a New Jersey -- operated digital forensic investigation and national cyber security consulting and advisory boutique, recommends that businesses take several reasonable and cost effective steps to begin to protect themselves from phishing emails and other cyber threats.

Digital4nx provides more cyber security tips here.

The FTC also recommends reporting the phishing attempts to the FTC's emailbox, spam@uce.gov , and to ftc.gov/complaint . For businesses in New Jersey, the ever present and growing concerns about phishing emails and all types of cyberattacks, including their legal consequences, are reflected in the NJ Attorney General's recent uptick in enforcement actions related to preventable data breaches discussed in our previous post.  No matter where you are or where the people whose information you have are located, the FTC's most recent guidance provides a low-cost starting point for businesses of all sizes in this state and beyond.

If you have questions about Cybersecurity for your business please contact Daniel DeFiglio or any member of Archer & Greiner's Data Privacy and Cybersecurity Group in Haddonfield, N.J., at (856) 795-2121, in Princeton, N.J., at (609) 580-3700, in Hackensack, N.J., at (201) 342-6000, in Philadelphia, Pa., at (215) 963-3300, or in Wilmington, Del., at (302) 777-4350.