What prevention measures can be taken to avoid these situations:
Cyberattacks are constantly evolving, and there is no way to eliminate them definitively. However, there are prevention measures and best practices that can help avoid a cyber attack situation or mitigate damages when it occurs. It is important to know how to act before, during, and after a cyber attack, both individually and as an integral part of an organization. In this real case, the following best practices for prevention stand out:
Employee Awareness and Training
More than ever, cybersecurity awareness is crucial. Employees are a crucial part of an organization's success, and in this case, the cyber attack occurred because an employee was deceived. To avoid such situations, employees need to understand how cyber attacks develop, how cyber attackers typically operate, and how to respond in case of suspected cyber attacks. If all employees are informed about cybersecurity best practices, there is a lower risk of falling victim to deception.
Multifactor Authentication
Although the form requested a second factor, authentication was not 100% secure since the code was available on more than one device. Multifactor authentication is a secure and effective method; however, with the development of AI, it has presented various vulnerabilities that cyber attackers have managed to exploit. In this case, the employee shared the code, but the attacker could still gain access because the code was visible on the devices where the login was performed. It is important to test all security methods and understand if there is a way to circumvent them, making them increasingly secure to reduce the likelihood of failure.
Email and Message Filtering
Implementing effective email and message filters is a feasible measure to detect and block phishing messages before employees receive them.
Regular Software and System Updates
It is important to keep all systems, devices, and software up to date. Regular updates and maintenance can be some of the most effective measures to prevent a cyber attack, especially in cases where there is a direct attack on the company's system.
Phishing Attack Simulation Tests
A good practice to consider for preventing these types of attacks is the conduct of simulation tests. In addition to employee training, conducting phishing attack simulation tests would be beneficial, as these are the most common types of attacks. This way, employees can put into practice what they have learned in training, know how to act in an attack scenario and be better prepared, which could have been a crucial measure in this case.
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