Have you ever stopped to wonder how many phishing scams your employees encounter each day? The answer might come as a huge surprise.
Over the past year, the number of employees clicking on malicious links has tripled—and that’s costing businesses big.
Let’s start with the basics.
Phishing is a cyberattack tactic where criminals impersonate trusted sources—like your bank, Microsoft, or even your boss—to trick people into giving up private information. This could be passwords, payment credentials, or even sensitive business data.
Often, all it takes is one convincing-looking email with a fake login page. Once your employee enters their details, that information falls right into the hands of criminals—and from this, they get the keys to your business.
The most troubling trend? These attacks are not only more frequent—they’re much harder to recognize.
While email remains the most common delivery method, cybercriminals are now planting fake links in search engine results, paid ads, social media messages, and even blog comments. They know your team is trained to be wary of email links, so they’re adapting and shifting to places people let their guard down.
So why are employees falling for more phishing attempts?
A big reason is simple fatigue. With phishing attempts coming from every direction, it’s difficult to stay alert at all times. Combine that with attackers using incredibly realistic emails and websites—often mimicking Microsoft 365 or other widely-used platforms—and it’s easy to see how mistakes happen.
The reality is, your employees can either be your strongest line of defense or a major vulnerability.
When your team is properly trained, they’re more likely to spot red flags before clicking. But if they’re not up to speed—or if the training isn’t ongoing—it only takes one bad decision to compromise your systems.
That’s why employee awareness training is one of the most powerful tools in your cybersecurity toolkit. But it has to be done right.
Start by making education a priority. Show your team examples of phishing attempts in real-world scenarios—not just through emails, but across websites and apps too. Help them understand the signs of a scam, how to verify links, and when to escalate suspicious activity. And most importantly, keep the information fresh with regular, recurring training.
Of course, human error is always a possibility. That’s where layered security comes in.
Using tools like multi-factor authentication (MFA) can be a game-changer. Even if a scammer manages to get a password, MFA can stop them from getting any further. And when paired with strong endpoint protection, timely software updates, and a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy, your business becomes a much harder target.
Phishing scams aren’t going away—and with the rise of AI-generated content, they’re only going to get more sophisticated. But with a smart mix of employee training and technical safeguards, you can stay ahead of the threat.
Not sure where your business stands on phishing protection? We can help you identify your vulnerabilities and put the right tools in place. Contact us today for a free consultation.
Apollo IT Services has been helping businesses since our founding in Austin, TX in 2015. With offices in Austin and Northwest Arkansas, we’ve continued to evolve alongside technology, adapting our services to include comprehensive managed IT solutions, cybersecurity expertise, and cloud services. Our mission is simple: to empower your business with reliable IT and empower you with peace of mind. Give us a call today!