Security isn’t only about technology. A lot of it comes down to people making good calls every day, so we’re making one of those calls a lot easier.
This month (October) we’re rolling out a Phishing Report button in Outlook for all our KARE Foundation clients. One click, and a suspicious email is reported.
Once it arrives, please use it whenever something doesn’t look quite right. Rather than just deleting a dodgy email or ignoring it, reporting it helps us spot threats sooner and protect everyone else.
Why bother reporting?
Phishing is still one of the most common ways criminals get into business systems. Security tools filter out a huge amount, but your people are still one of your best defences.
Every report helps us:
- catch phishing attempts earlier
- stop the same email catching out a colleague
- improve our monitoring and how we respond
- reduce the risk of fraud, ransomware, data breaches and hacked accounts
One click. It really can make a difference.
What happens when you press it?
If it’s one of our practice phishing emails: as part of our security awareness programme we send the occasional simulated phishing email to help build good habits. Report one of these and you’ll get a message confirming you spotted it, and it’s recorded as part of the programme.
If it’s a real suspicious email: it’s reviewed through the advanced mail protection in Microsoft 365 Business Premium, which also helps Microsoft improve phishing detection for everyone.
Why not just delete it?
Deleting a suspicious email feels safe, but it tells nobody what’s getting through to inboxes. It also isn’t the behaviour we want to encourage.
Whether it’s real or a training exercise, the right move is to report it. That’s how we measure awareness, spot trends and keep improving. And in most phishing simulations, an email you ignore or delete doesn’t count as a pass!
If in doubt, report it
The rule of thumb is simple. If it looks suspicious, report it. It’s always better to report something harmless than to ignore something that isn’t. Your click could be the early warning that stops a much bigger problem.
Security works best when people and technology work together. This button gives everyone an easy way to do their bit. Thank you for helping keep your business safe.
Not on KARE yet, and want phishing protection and training like this for your team? Book a free health check, or call us on 0800 688 768.