Data-Backed Tips on Spotting Dangerous Emails

One of the first bits of advice that people got when the internet started becoming more commonplace had to do with the fact that you should never open emails unless they are from someone that you know. A big part of the reason why that is the case has to do with the fact that malicious actors tend to look into using emails to install malware and other malicious forms of software onto your system. Hence, if you see an email that isn’t from someone that you know, avoiding it might be a good idea.

With all of that having been said and out of the way, it is important to note that malicious actors have evolved. The emails that you now get can be a little trickier to recognize, particularity when it comes to judging their authenticity. A threat report compiled by Symantec has revealed that there are a number of key phrases that you should be on the lookout for. If an email you get has these key phrases then there is a pretty high chance that it is dangerous, a phishing attempt, or at the very least spam that you wouldn’t want to open due to the reason that it is not all that useful for you.

Invoice is a term that is often used. Payment is also frequently utilized. Any email that is discussing payment or is trying to make things seem urgent but is from an address that you don’t recognize is going to be risky for you to open, and a virus check should be performed first. The report has revealed that over half of the emails that corporate employees get are spam, and a good number of these are malicious. Taking steps to protect yourself is essential, and companies also need to be cognizant of the problems that can occur if employees are not properly educated about what illegitimate emails tend to look like.


Chart: Statista.

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