Which practice helps protect against phishing attacks?

Training employees to recognize suspicious emails serves as a crucial defense against phishing attacks. Phishing often relies on social engineering tactics to trick individuals into revealing sensitive information, such as login credentials or personal data, by pretending to be a trustworthy entity. By equipping employees with the knowledge to identify red flags—such as generic greetings, mismatched URLs, and unexpected attachments—they become more vigilant and less likely to fall prey to these deceptive tactics. This proactive approach significantly enhances the organization’s overall cybersecurity posture, as human error is frequently a leading cause of successful phishing attempts.

While other practices such as using complex passwords, regularly updating security software, and encrypting outgoing emails contribute to overall security, they do not specifically address the recognition and response to phishing threats. Each of these practices enhances security in different ways, but training employees is uniquely focused on preventing the initial compromise that phishing attempts aim for. Therefore, educating staff on how to spot and handle suspicious emails is essential in mitigating the risk of phishing attacks.