The Ultimate Vishing Guide for Business, Part 4: Bridging the Gaps in Vishing Defense with Technology

In the previous segments of our Ultimate Vishing Guides for Business, we unraveled the complex web of vishing, how to fortify your front-line, and how to shield your brand from brand identity spoofing scams. This segment delves deeper, spotlighting the vulnerabilities in vishing defenses, highlighting key technological solutions, and presenting strategies to amplify your organization's technological security.

In this guide, we will discuss:

• The Gaps in Your Vishing Defenses
• Key Vishing Technological Solutions
• Strategies to Enhance your Organization’s Technological Security

The Gaps In Your Vishing Defense   

Time and time again, businesses have believed — or wanted to believe — that their defenses were strong enough to avoid cyberattacks. But the prevalence of vishing attacks, and really, how easy it can be for vishers, should lead every business to take a look and see where they may be vulnerable.

Consider having your IT and/or security teams check out the following common gaps that can lead to vishing intrusions:

• Employee Training: Often, brands have felt that a seminar or two (perhaps years ago) is plenty of training. However, technology (and the scammers) are continually advancing, and so continuous training is essential. An employee who can't recognize a vishing attempt is a significant weak link.
• Software Updates: Outdated software is likely to have vulnerabilities. Regular updates ensure you're protected against known threats. What procedures do you use to enforce software updates?
• Insider Attacks: With phishing and vishing, often employees give up their passwords to scammers. So it can often appear that the threat comes from within. How do you ethically and safely track unusual employee activity to help detect and prevent these attacks?
• Interconnectivity: If breaching one system provides access to others, you're giving attackers a buffet. Segregate and protect each system individually.
• Zero Trust: This approach is the counterpoint to interconnectivity — where every access request is treated as if it originates from an open network, even if the user is “credentialed” already. This helps ensure that every access point is authenticated, and can limit the spread of a vishing leak.
• Employee Directory Security: A employee directory can be a goldmine for vishers – that’s how they get the list of people to target with “voice phishing.” Ensure the employee directory is encrypted and access is restricted to only those who need it.
• Brand Protection: Beyond internal company attacks, scammers can used your brand’s name (and trust) to scam others. Do you have a system setup to monitor a wide variety of calls for those which use your brand’s name? (And did you know there are excellent services that do that for you?)
• Documented Protocols: In the unfortunate event of a breach, a well-documented protocol can help limit damage. Training and/or drills can help ensure everyone knows their role.
• PR Readiness: A vishing attack's PR fallout can be devastating. Ensure your PR team is ready with damage control strategies.
• Silo’d Departments: Sometimes IT doesn’t talk with Customer Service, and one department knows there’s an issue, while the other doesn’t discover it until it’s too late. Do you have excellent, regular, enforced channels of communication between relevant departments? If not … you’ve got a security gap.
• Reliance on Voice Confirmations: AI can now mimic voices, easily, and well. What are your voice authentication protocols? Can the CEO call the CFO and request a transfer? That exact scenario may have cost one company $35 million.
• Back-up & Recovery: How well protected are you against data loss – or data being encrypted and held hostage – from a vishing attack? Remember, the recovery element is nearly as important as the backup component, but many businesses have not fully thought though the time and efforts involved in recovery.

Trash: Yes, even the trash can be a gap in your cybersecurity. Good old manual paper is often a way that phishers and vishers get enough information to contact a company. They’ll sort through trash, find relevant names and numbers, and start making calls. Protect your trash by shredding everything with identifying information.

Strategies To Enhance Your Organization's Technological Security

So, now that you know where your gaps are, and you’ve looked at some of the technological solutions, what strategies should you implement to enhance you brand’s security against phishing and Vishing? Consider these:

• Make it a priority: The easiest strategy is to truly make cybersecurity a corporate priority. Does management understand the level of threats, and the consequences of a breach? If not, you may already be headed for trouble.
• Increase Tech Budget: The easiest way to actually see if brand cybersecurity is a priority is to look at the budgets. If your IT / Security budget is lower than your peers, again, you may be headed for trouble. (Or you may be ultra-efficient, congratulations!)
• Find the Best Partners: Companies like YouMailPS specialize in telecommunication security for brands. In fact, they even support phone companies in fighting spam, testify in front of the U.S. Senate, and run the most referred to spam call counting app (see how many robocalls were placed in the U.S. last month here). A team like this is invaluable.
• Regular Employee Training: More proof that you’re serious? Continuous training. This ensures your team is always prepared for the latest vishing techniques.
• Multi-Factor Authentication: This simple step can drastically reduce unauthorized access.
• Zero Trust Systems: Continuing to narrow your systems unprotected interconnectivity will reduce the gaps in security.
• Stay Updated: The world of cybersecurity is always evolving. Regular reviews ensure you're always a step ahead.

While it’s not easy, identifying the gaps and implementing strategies to secure them is the only way to address the rapidly growing costs that vishing and phishing cyberattacks can cost all businesses.  With awareness of potential defense gaps, the right technological solutions, and a proactive security strategy, businesses can ensure they remain well-protected.

Ready to elevate your organization's vishing defenses? Dive deep into the advanced solutions offered by YouMailPS and chart a course towards a fortified future. And don't forget to stay tuned for Part 5 of our Ultimate Vishing Guide for Business, where we'll delve into the human element of vishing defense and the importance of cultivating a security-first culture.

For more information on securing your business communication, contact YouMailPS — the industry leaders in detecting and protecting brands from fraudulent voice communications.