If you are looking for the best Computer Virus Removal near me in Ashford Kent and the surrounding communities of Kennington, Willesborough, Kingsnorth, Brabourne, Sellindge, Charing, Pluckley, Ham Street, Aldington, Mersham, Wye, Hothfield, Goddington, Little Chart, Brook, Egerton, Challock, Shadoxhurst and Hythe consider Flag Computer Repair, your fastest choice. Affordable Computer Repair Service. Local, mobile service. Industry certified. Free Collection.
Fake Invoice Attacks Are on the Rise – Here’s How to Spot (and Beat) Them
Businesses around the world are being struck with a cyber-attack that sends victims a fake invoice that looks real enough to fool to most employees. It’s an old scam that used to see bills faxed or mailed in, but it’s made its way into the digital world and instances are on the rise.
Chances are you’ve already seen some of the less effective attempts, like an email advising your domain is expiring, except it’s not from your host and your domain is nowhere near expiration. These new attacks are more advanced, in that they look completely legitimate and are often from contractors/suppliers you actually use. Logos are correct, spelling and grammar are spot on, and they might even refer to actual work or invoice numbers. The sender name may also be the normal contact you’d associate with that business, or even a co-worker, as cybercriminals are able to effectively ‘spoof’ real accounts and real people. While it’s worrying that they know enough about your business to wear that disguise so well, a successful attack relies on you not knowing what to look for, or even that fakes are a possibility. With that in mind, here are two types of invoice attacks you might receive:
The Payment Redirect
This style of fake invoice either explicitly states payment should be made to a certain account, perhaps with a friendly note about the new details, or includes a payment link direct to the new account. Your accounts payable person believes they’re doing the right thing by resolving the invoice and unwittingly sends company money offshore. The problem usually isn’t discovered until the real invoice from the real supplier comes in or the transaction is flagged in an audit. Due to the nature of international cybercrime, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to recover the funds even if you catch it quickly.
The Malware Click – Rather than go for the immediate cash grab, this style of attack asks your employee to click a link to download the invoice. The email may even look like the ones normally generated by popular accounting tools like Quickbooks or Xero, making the click seem safe. Once your employee has clicked the link, malware is downloaded that can trigger ransomware or data breaches. While an up-to-date anti-virus should block the attack at that stage, it’s not always guaranteed, especially with new and undiscovered malware. If it does get through, the malware quickly embeds itself deep into your systems, often silently lurking until detected or activated.
How to Stay Safe
Awareness is key to ensuring these types of attacks have no impact on your business. As always, keep your anti-virus and spam filters up to date to minimize the risk of the emails getting through in the first place. Then, consider implementing a simple set of procedures regarding payments. These could include verifying account changes with a phone call (to the number you have on record, not the one in the email), double checking invoices against work orders, appointing a single administrator to restrict access to accounts, or even two-factor authorization for payments. Simple pre-emptive checks like hovering the mouse over any links before clicking and quickly making sure it looks right can also help. Like your own business, your contractors and suppliers are extra careful with their invoicing, so if anything looks off – even in the slightest – hold back on payment/clicking until it’s been reviewed. Fake invoices attacks may be increasing, but that doesn’t mean your business will become a statistic, especially now that you know what’s going on and how you can stop them.
I can help increase your security, talk to me today. Call Gary at 07976 151 148
Hi, I’m sending out FREE computer tips and tricks updates twice a month, here is an example. If you subscribe via This Link, you will get FREE access to all my eBooks. I have designed them to help you get the best out of the technology you use in your business.
The best way to recover from a compromise, malware or system failure is to have a backup.
Did you know that if you use an SSD drive, most new computers have one installed by default, when you click delete your data is gone forever, immediately!
I can provide a backup service to protect you from losing your photos and documents It will also help to protect you from Ransomware. You will be getting;
- An Industry leading brand
- I will manage and monitor to ensure you are protected.
- I will provide, install and support the backup software
- Free back recovery
- Fully encrypted to protect your data
- An external drive is included (if required)
If you get the backup service as part of my Total Protection Plan, I also offer FREE virus recovery.
Does your current provider offer that? Have you even got a backup? I offer this service from £10 per month. Contact me for more information
I can help with:
Computer Repair
PC Repair
PC Tune-up
Virus Removal and Repair
Network Repair
Computer Monitoring Service
Data Recovery
Data Backup
New Device Setup
Computer Training
Printer Repair
